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St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Lee Enterprises

Wednesday, November 18, 2009 6:07 PM CST
School on for one more day as bus driver talks continue

By DAVE FOPAY, Staff Writer
dfopay@jg-tc.com

CHARLESTON — School buses will run at least one more day in the Charleston school district but whether that continues Thursday won’t be known until today.

Representatives of the company the district uses for school bus services and the union representing drivers said there will be bus transportation today, Superintendent Jim Littleford said. As has been the case throughout the negotiations, the two sides only guaranteed the next day’s service and couldn’t commit to buses being available after that, he explained.

The district will continue to evaluate and make a decision on a day-to-day basis, Littleford said. Though he said neither the bus company nor the union told him anything about the prospects for a settlement, the situation seems to be “coming to a head,” he added.

“At some point, things will be resolved or there will be work stoppage,” Littleford said.

The district plans to cancel school if a contract can’t be reached and a driver work stoppage takes place.

Representatives of the bus company, First Student Transportation Services, and the union, Teamsters Local 26, both said the issue of salaries is what’s dividing the two sides.

Teamsters representative Tim Donovan called the offer the company made Tuesday “so bad I don’t think I’ll take it to the membership.” He said the two sides are apart “quite a bit” on salaries.

“We’re going to take it day to day right now,” Donovan said. He added he plans to talk to the union’s attorney and a decision about the union’s next step will probably come today.

First Student spokeswoman Maureen Richmond said the company’s position is that the latest offer was fair “especially considering current economic decisions.” Whether the company will increase its salary offer to the union is “something we’ll evaluate,” she said.

“Our goal is to continue to negotiate and avoid any interruption in service,” Richmond said.

The school district has had to make daily decisions on whether there will be student attendance, based on whether bus service will be available, each day this week.

Littleford said he contacted the Regional Office of Education about how to handle a possible driver work stoppage and was told school had to be canceled if there’s no bus transportation for students who qualify for it. The district’s emergency days or “snow” days would be used if school has to be canceled, he explained.

Contact Dave Fopay at dfopay@jg-tc.com or 238-6858.

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~STRANGER~ wrote on Nov 17, 2009 3:15 PM:

" DRAMA, DRAMA, DRAMA.Sounds too me somebody needs to get their priorities in order. "

Rockin Rotty wrote on Nov 17, 2009 4:36 PM:

" One Day At A Time

http://tinyurl.com/studentsfirst "

gordonsfive wrote on Nov 18, 2009 6:31 AM:

" let them go on strike...then hire some people that want to work....the economy is bad so if they want to stay home let them but then replace them with people that want to work "

~STRANGER~ wrote on Nov 18, 2009 7:50 AM:

" lol @ R.Rotty that was funny. "

underpaiddriver wrote on Nov 18, 2009 10:38 AM:

" I made a similar comment on a recent thread, and a co-worker said it best, "It is sad when the person that comes to your house and picks up your trash makes more then the person that picks up your children" Do you really want just anyone off the street to drive your children to and from school? Most of us are at work before 6:30am to Pre-Trip our buses,(that's to make sure the bus that transports your children is in working order and safe for them to ride.) Most of us don't get home until 4:30 or 5pm. Don't you think we deserve fair pay, this company made a huge profit last year, dont you think that they could just share a little? "

slap63 wrote on Nov 18, 2009 10:40 AM:

" gordonsfive wrote on Nov 18, 2009 6:31 AM:
" let them go on strike...then hire some people that want to work....the economy is bad so if they want to stay home let them but then replace them with people that want to work "

I get your point gordon and I do agree with it. But I have to point out that a lot of the bus drivers do not want to strike and... where are you going to find that many bus drivers to take their places? "

chucktowntownie wrote on Nov 18, 2009 12:18 PM:

" Yes. Fire the all and find other people who will work for less and see how that works out. Since they can't hire people to work for what they get paid now, I suspect that will work out REALLY well for the community. "

2stupid2understand wrote on Nov 18, 2009 1:30 PM:

" Seems to me the schools should be open for those that can make it there. Not for teaching but just for daycare activities to make up for the inconvenience to us peons. Why does the staff get more days off? What in government would survive if they were truly accountable and ran as a business competing for satisfied customers? "

BW wrote on Nov 18, 2009 4:16 PM:

" Sure is a shame that the school bus company and its union have so much control over the entire Charleston school district's students, officials and the parents. Now THAT is scary. Maybe the school board should consult with them before setting the calendar and cirriculum. Good Grief. "

pickle wrote on Nov 18, 2009 5:14 PM:

" Don't you want the people that carry the children to school to be paid a fair wage? "

bus setter wrote on Nov 18, 2009 8:51 PM:

" Lets see! How do you work for less than min. wage? Many will qripe, but few will know! How many of you have walked a mile in anothers shoes? Why not ask the english company why drivers and attendants want to strike. Has anyone thought to ask about the money the CO. has made compared to what they wish to pay. Not to even think about the equip. and work conditions...Oh so many don't know..... "

Beaches wrote on Nov 19, 2009 5:02 AM:

" Are most of us paid what we are worth? I doubt you would find many people who feel that they are. Businesses are in business to make money. I'm sure the bus company does quite well, and they need to pay their drivers fairly, but in a recession, I'm not sure this is the right time to be willing to lose your job. "

~STRANGER~ wrote on Nov 19, 2009 8:45 AM:

" Somebodys comment on parents paying more to have their trash hauled off then to have their kids driven to school sticks in my mind.Pay the bus drivers damn. "

FaithfulMommy wrote on Nov 19, 2009 11:44 AM:

" I think the regulation/law that requires the school district is required to provide bus service in the first place. There was a time when parents were responsible for getting their own children to and from school. It would indeed be a little more inconvenient, but in time, we all would adjust.

I know a lot of people are suggesting that they fire the drivers that are considering a strike, but it is probably a little more complicated than that. Generally, when a union is in place, the company is not allowed to bring in other workers. That is kind of the point of having a union....it ensures that the company provide fair working conditions. If they were allowed to bring in other workers, what would be the point of a strike? So, the school district would have to get rid of First Student, and I'm not sure how easily that could be done because I'm sure they have a contract. And, if you did try to hire another company, I'm not sure I know of any other bus companies with that many buses and drivers just sitting around not being used. "

Stanley Stetson wrote on Nov 19, 2009 7:26 PM:

" * call ray nagin * he usually has a few buses just sitting around * "

Bus Driver wrote on Nov 19, 2009 9:39 PM:

" First Student. If you are reading this blog. You need to THINK about what kind of service your drivers are doing. We are not transporting produce or poultry or even fuel. We are transporting human beings, our countries future,our children. You need to get a corporate conscience, which you seem not yet to have achieved. Capable, certified, trained, drivers are valuable employees. Concern for the safety of our children should be the highest priority." "

charlestonmama wrote on Nov 20, 2009 8:55 AM:

" The bus drivers are talking of these long hours but do they not have several hours off between the two routes? "

chucktowntownie wrote on Nov 20, 2009 11:43 AM:

" charlestonmama wrote on Nov 20, 2009 8:55 AM:

" The bus drivers are talking of these long hours but do they not have several hours off between the two routes? "

Yes. And as a result, in order to just make a 40 hour work week (and, as a result, a living wage) many of them work 7 days a week, taking extra-curricular bus trips just to make a livable paycheck. So that means long hours and long weeks. Bascially, the regular route bus drivers are part-time, but asked for a full-time committment (can you fit in another job in three hours in the middle of the day, should you have mutiple required trainings and restrictions for a part-time job?) "

granny4 wrote on Nov 20, 2009 1:12 PM:

" Re: Charlestonmama-Bus drivers bid their routes according to senority. They bus kids to Kansas, Mattoon, Champaign, Neoga, and other areas depending on their needs. Some work mornings and afternoons. Some work mornings mid-day and afternoons depending on the class and route. There are additional routes as far as aways games for all sports, and Charter buses for others usually evenings and weekends which are bid as well. To get an 8 hour day in you may work three hours in the morning, then two hours over lunch, and then another three hours in the afternoon. Your day may start at 6:00 in the morning and end at 5:00 in the afternoon to get your 8 hours in. Some try to get their 8 hours in because this is the only job that they have, as others only want to work part-time. "

Bus Driver wrote on Nov 20, 2009 1:14 PM:

" We all work split shifts. You have your morning route from around 6am to 8am or 7am to 9am. Then you might have a midday run that could be anywhere form 9:30pm to 12:30pm, but each midday is only 1 to 1.5 hours. Then you might have to be back around 1:30, 1:35, 1:40, 1:45, 1:50, 2:00, 2:15, or 2:30 and work anywhere from that time to 5:00. Then you can have extra curricular activity trip till midnight or later. Why would you think we should be paid less then other bus drivers with this same kind of job. "