First Student Workers in Alaska Vote to Authorize Strike Action

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/First-Student-Workers-Alaska-Vote/story.aspx?guid={7A354A5E-3CA9-40B5-9783-C8D2234E401F}

KENAI PENINSULA BOROUGH, Alaska, Dec 02, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Health Care, Safety, Equal Treatment for All Remain Unresolved

Teamster First Student school bus drivers and attendants in the Kenai Peninsula Borough have rejected the company's latest contract offer and voted to authorize a strike action. The workers are members of Teamsters Local 959.

The workers voted 88 to 5 on Monday in favor of a strike action because of unresolved issues in contract talks that included health care, safety and equal treatment for drivers and attendants.

"These employees work hard every day to make sure students get to school safely and they take great pride in their work," said Ken Coleman, Secretary Treasurer of Local 959. "They deserve to be rewarded for the work that they do."
"I want to make sure students get a safe ride to school and back home," said Amber Lay, a two-year attendant. "We organized a union because we care about the kids, and all of us drivers and attendants deserve respect and safe equipment."

On Monday night, drivers and attendants spoke at the Kenai Peninsula Borough school board meeting to reiterate their concerns. School board members were vocal in their support of the drivers and attendants and the hard work they do.
Drivers and aides voted in February to form their union with the Teamsters by a 3 to 1 margin, and have been in contract negotiations since March. Local 959 has filed three unfair labor practice charges against First Student with the National Labor Relations Board, including failure to bargain, failure to provide information and unilateral changes in working conditions. The company has not met with the union since late October, taking the position that they have submitted their best and final offer.

Workers voted down the company's previous offer by a 72 to 5 vote on Oct. 20.

"As school bus drivers, we pride ourselves on our jobs as highly trained professional drivers who carry the most precious cargo in the world," said Mark Conway, a bus driver. "This company should treat us fairly."

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters was founded in 1903 and represents more than 1.4 million hardworking men and women in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.

SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters