TEAMSTERS AT DURHAM SCHOOL SERVICES IN SMITHFIELD VOTE TO AUTHORIZE A STRIKE
TEAMSTERS AT DURHAM SCHOOL SERVICES IN SMITHFIELD VOTE TO AUTHORIZE A STRIKE
Durham school bus drivers, monitors and aides voted unanimously to authorize a strike at their Smithfield yard recently. They had voted to join Teamsters Local 251 almost one year ago and had been very patient as negotiations wore on. The last straw was the paltry raises offered by Durham, which is the third largest school transportation service in the United States.
The workers in Smithfeld are among the lowest paid school bus employees in the entire state of Rhode Island. The Teamsters believe the company has committed unfair labor practices.
Hopefully the company has gotten the message loud and clear. The workers love working with their students and hope the company doesn’t force them to strike in order to be paid what other workers in the same field get paid. Three more bargaining sessions with a federal mediator are scheduled, with November 12 up next. Stay tuned.