New York School Bus Workers Choose Teamsters

News provided by

International Brotherhood of Teamsters

Apr 13, 2010, 03:37 ET

East Aurora First Student Drivers and Aides Unite for a Better Workplace

WASHINGTON, April 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- School bus drivers and aides with First Student in East Aurora, New York, have voted to become members of Teamsters Local 264 in Cheektowaga. The 55 workers are looking forward to negotiating for improvements as Teamsters, including fair pay, respect and fairness in their workplace.

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"What a day; it's a great feeling," said Dave Ebert, a driver, about the vote for Teamster representation. "I'd like to see better working conditions, more respect and communications, in terms of management understanding our concerns."

"This fall, the surrounding Teamster First Student locations got wage increases, but we were nonunion so we had a wage freeze," said driver Nancy Collina. "I'm happy about our vote and about making some positive changes."

"We welcome these workers to the Teamsters and look forward to representing them," said Ron Lucas, President of Local 264 and Joint Council 46.

The victory is the latest in an effort to organize private school bus and transit workers across the country. Drive Up Standards is a national campaign to improve safety, service and work standards in the private school bus and transit industry. Since the campaign began in 2006, more than 26,200 drivers, monitors, aides, mechanics and attendants have become Teamsters.

For more information on the Drive Up Standards campaign, go to: www.schoolbusworkersunited.org

Founded in 1903, the Teamsters Union represents more than 1.4 million hardworking men and women in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.

SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters