Teamsters, Members of Congress Rally for School Bus Workers' Rights

Teamsters rallied here today, calling on the world's largest private school bus transportation company to treat its workers fairly and remain neutral in their fight to form a union. The Teamsters were joined by U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Rep. Phil Hare (D-IL).

Naperville is home to the corporate headquarters of Laidlaw International Inc., which is being bought by U.K.-based FirstGroup, owner of First Student. The deal would make First Student the largest private school bus transportation company in the world.

"We want First Student to be a better employer in Chicago, and for that matter, the entire state of Illinois and the rest of the country," said John Coli, Teamsters International Vice President and President of Teamsters Joint Council 25 in Chicago. "It is critical that our sons and daughters travel to and from school on a safe bus with a good driver. First Student's drivers want to form a union and they should have that opportunity without facing threats, intimidation and retaliation."

FirstGroup has a neutrality policy regarding union organizing. At the time of its issuance in July 2006, FirstGroup Chairman Martin Gilbert stated, "We are absolutely committed to stamping out our anti-union behavior, and you have our commitment that we will do whatever is necessary to remain neutral as far as union membership is concerned."

But FirstGroup's track record in the United States raises big concerns. First Student managers have held captive audience meetings with workers, urging them to not support the union. In addition, workers in Illinois and other states report that they have no benefits such as paid sick leave or personal days, while their counterparts in the U.K. have those benefits plus health insurance and pensions.

"I call on FirstGroup to treat workers in the United States with the same respect it treats its U.K. workers," Durbin said. "FirstGroup needs to honor its chairman's public commitment of neutrality concerning union organizing."

Said Hare: "I am committed to doing all I can as a congressman to ensure that the company respects the freedom of its workers to form unions."

Danville, Illinois, First Student workers voted on January 24 to form a union with the Teamsters, overcoming significant opposition from the company.

"I am a First Student anti-union casualty," said April Bloodworth, a 14- year employee of First Student's Danville bus yard. "Along with other First Student workers across the country, I lost my job because of my activities to form a union in my yard. But my job loss didn't stop my co-workers from forming a union."

"I take my job very seriously and understand that I am responsible for the most special cargo of all-our children," Bloodworth said. "But I can tell you without any doubt, First Student has not lived up to their neutrality pledge."

Illinois, similar to other states, devotes considerable state funds to school transportation - nearly $430 million in 2006. Both First Student and Laidlaw have 73 contracts, employing almost 7,200 state residents to transport school children throughout Illinois. Experienced drivers, monitors and mechanics are vital to maintaining school bus safety and high quality service.

"Once the proposed takeover of Laidlaw takes place, FirstGroup will have a huge stake in the transportation of thousands of school children in the state of Illinois. We intend to make sure its workers are treated fairly," Coli said.

Over the past eight months, over 2,000 school bus drivers, monitors and mechanics have voted for Teamster representation. In total, the Teamsters Union represents nearly 5,000 First Student workers, including employees in Bloomington and Danville. The union also represents more than 7,000 Laidlaw workers, including some who work for Greyhound in Chicago. Teamsters now represent school bus employees from Anchorage, Alaska, to Charleston, South Carolina.

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking women and men in the United States and Canada.