A school bus driver's strike that has disrupted transportation for 20,000 students in Nassau County, N.Y., has entered its second week
Newsday reports that members of Transport Workers Union Local 252 called the strike last week against Baumann & Sons Buses Inc. The job action affects students in the Freeport, Baldwin, Hicksville and Rockville Centre school districts
District administrators have begun to explore hiring other transportation companies to fill the gaps during the walkout.
“I’m disappointed that it’s lasted this long,” says Rockville Centre superintendent William Johnson. "They had an opportunity this past week to meet and settle this."
On Friday, no agreement was reached after a daylong federally mediated negotiating session. Talks are scheduled to resume Tuesday.
The sides are divided on wage increases and payment to drivers on days off in the school calendar. The drivers also are seeking a greater percentage of “charter pay,” or wages for transporting students to field trips during the school day. The average driver, operating a “large” school bus, makes roughly $28,000 annually, the union says.
