In Seattle, Teamsters and First Student’s School Bus Strike Battled for More Than a Week
Thursday, October 04, 2018
Earlier this year across the country, nearly the same bus strike scenario played out in Seattle as the city was hit with a nine-day strike of school bus drivers.
The school bus strike in Providence is now entering a full week and its impact is being felt across all corners of the city. It is big business, in the past three years, First Student has been paid by the City of Providence in excess of $30 million.
The battle on the West Coast was a similar battle between the Teamster and First Students in Seattle. Ultimately, the two sides were forced to settle when the Mayor of Seattle threatened action against the bus company.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST“In Seattle [where there was a school bus strike in February], the Superintendent said they would sanction First Student. It was First Student and the Teamsters -- it was done before. But First Student just doesn't care. They are flying their negotiators up from Cincinnati. Meanwhile, I have a first cousin with an IEP screaming at me here,” said Nick Williams in a phone interview with GoLocal on Wednesday night. Williams is the Business Agent of Teamsters Local 251 in Providence.
The Seattle Times reported when the strike concluded, “The agreement includes expanded benefits and comprehensive health-care coverage for drivers and their families, Teamsters and First Student said Friday. The union declined to release details Saturday, but in a news release, labor officials said the contract provides drivers with a Teamster pension plan they characterized as the first for contracted school-bus drivers in Seattle and possibly the nation for First Student drivers.”
Looking at Seattle Strike
Williams said the Seattle scenario is an available pathway to resolving the strike Providence.
He says that the action by the Mayor of Seattle Jenny Durkan helped force the resolution of the strike.
“The Seattle bus strike in February 2018, it was a different pension fund out there. I believe they created a new pension -- a single employer. If they threw that at us, I think we'd vote on it. We'd take a look at it. [First Student] knows what happened in Seattle. It was a different [Teamsters] local," said Williams. "So again, I'm not sure what the deal looked like, [but] I'd take a look at it. The catalyst though was the threat of $1.2M in sanctions against First Student."
In contrast, Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza has taken no punitive action against the players. On Tuesday, he held a press conference with others in which, "We’re calling on both parties -- using both our political and moral authority -- in asking them to think about the kids, families, every single resident in Providence affected by this, so a resolution is reached, as quickly as possible," said Elorza.
According to the Seattle Teamster’s press announcement at the time of the resolution of the strike, “This is life-changing,” said First Student driver Olivia Moore, who has been struggling to receive treatment for cancer despite having no health insurance. “This is what we have been fighting for. I can go to the doctor. I can retire someday. I can’t even tell you how much that means.”
According the Seattle Teamsters, "The agreement was reached after a marathon negotiating session with the help of a mediator on Thursday and finalized midday Friday. Saturday morning, hundreds of First Student bus drivers packed the Union Hall to learn about the tentative agreement and cast their votes.”
“I’m so happy right now,” said Seattle First Student driver Chrystale Holiwell. “We’ve never had anything like this before. I’m in tears.” The meeting was extremely emotional, as the drivers realized their lengthy battle for human rights and dignity had finally paid off.
“The reason we were successful is because of your solidarity, courage and fortitude on the picket line,” Local 174 Director of Negotiations Patty Warren told the group. “We didn’t do this – you all did.”
Providence Taxpayers Could Take the Financial Hit
Sanctions could be hitting the City of Providence soon. Three groups in a letter told Providence’s school superintendent Chris Maher that if the transportation of children with disabilities was not resolved as soon as Thursday, then the groups will seek legal action.
"As a result of the bus strike currently affecting the Providence School District, the District has publicly acknowledged its obligations to provide transportation to students with disabilities pursuant to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), as required by their Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). However, the District has also announced that it has not located alternative transportation and that, instead, parents may seek reimbursement for any alternative transportation they are able to arrange," wrote Veronika Kot of Rhode Island Legal Services; Anne Mulready of the Rhode Island Disability Law Center; and Steven Brown of the ACLU of RI in a joint letter to Providence School Superintendent Maher.
"We remain concerned that the District’s position and actions fall short of meeting its responsibilities under the IDEA. The responsibility to find and arrange for alternative transportation falls first and foremost on the District and not on the parents, many of whom lack the contacts and, in some instances, English language skills to make such arrangements. In addition, even if parents can themselves provide or locate alternative transportation, the costs of fronting payment and then seeking much-delayed reimbursement from the school district are prohibitive for many families of Providence students," wrote the groups in the joint letter.
"As our organizations consider individualized remedies for clients who have contacted us for assistance, we additionally request that, in light of the urgency of this matter, you respond to us by Wednesday, October 3rd with details of any plans the District is taking to address the current situation and ensure alternative arrangements are being made to accommodate the legally mandated needs of special education students in Providence," the letter concludes.
Related Slideshow: School Bus Strike in Providence - September 2018
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