First Student Bus Drivers and Monitors in Multiple Communities Vote to Strike

First Student Bus Drivers and Monitors in Multiple Communities Vote to Strike

First Student bus drivers, monitors and aides who are members of SEIU 1199 New England announced Tuesday that they plan to begin an open strike beginning November 2 at 5:30 AM. 

The action by the union comes as Rhode Island schools are deemed to be in "crisis," according to a report by the Rhode Island Public Expenditures Council released on October 13. 

And on Monday, the Nation's Report Card on the performance of schools found that Rhode Island schools have dropped to the second lowest in New England.

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In Rhode Island and across the country, schools are scrambling to recover from the academic loss that took place during COVID. Rhode Island schools were underperforming prior to the pandemic.

 

SEIU Defends Their Actions

SEIU says that since June, "275 employees who work in the Lincoln, West Warwick and Cranston bus yards have been negotiating with their employer, First Student, but have been unable to reach a fair contract settlement that gives workers a pathway to economic self-sufficiency."

First Students employees are calling on their employer, First Student, to "boost their hours to 30 hours per week minimum. Public schools in Cranston, West Warwick, Lincoln and private and specialty schools across the state will be impacted."

“Right now, we are guaranteed 20 hours per week which doesn’t generate enough income to support an individual, let alone a family. While we do not do this work to become rich, we deserve to make livable wages. We do not take the decision to go on strike lightly, but our children deserve consistent schedules and the best possible experience getting to and from school and as First Student, has a responsibility to make that a reality,” said Lorene Hamel, a First Student school bus driver in Lincoln.

First Student's spokesperson Frank McMahon responded on Tuesday with the following statement. 

"First Student has been in active labor negotiations with SEIU 1199 since June to negotiate a fair and reasonable agreement. After nine bargaining meetings, we requested the help of a federal mediator. Our first meeting with the Federal Mediator and the union will be held on Wednesday," said McMahon. 

"First Student has addressed all items noted from the union as a high priority in the latest proposal," he added. "We will continue to negotiate in good faith and are committed to working with the union in the coming days and hope to reach an agreement to avoid any work stoppage."

 

Union's Allegations

SEIU, in their release regarding the strike, alleged the following. 

"Each day, these members transport Rhode Island’s most vulnerable, getting kids to school safely, on time. They play a critical role in both the state’s education system and economy by allowing their parents to get to work knowing their children are safe. Many of the children have physical and behavioral needs that require special accommodations and increased attention. Yet despite the value of their service, the majority of First Student bus drivers earn only around $450 a week and often struggle to find additional employment due to the restrictive driving schedule. In addition, drivers need a commercial drivers’ license to drive, which can require weeks of often unpaid training and testing. 

As such, many employees - who are often over 65 years of age and at high risk for COVID - have left the field, adding to a nationwide shortage of available, qualified drivers. Low pay, low hours and COVID safety concerns has created a vacuum of workers with First Student losing 25% to 30% of its employees over the last 18 months. Lack of staffing results in districts having to split up bus runs and double up the amount of children on each bus, which both compromises safety and impacts schedules. Buses often arrive late, which is disruptive for all children, especially those with developmental disabilities."