News - Education

Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009

School bus drivers OK contract, avoid strike

Bus drivers and monitors who work for First Student bus company approved a new contract Wednesday that gives them wage increases and paid holidays.

First Student has contracts with the Bay-Waveland and Gulfport school districts and employs about 70 people between the two.

Representatives from Teamsters Local 991 presented an offer to the company over the weekend, and the company made a counteroffer Monday, said Jim Gookins, secretary/treasurer for the union.

He said the workers also received life insurance, daily guarantee of hours, jury duty pay and funeral leave in the new contract.

Gookins said union members were worried about the contract because drivers in Hinds County went on strike for two days last week before reaching an agreement with First Student, an Ohio-based company.

“We were concerned about a strike,” Gookins said.

“We took a strike authorization vote last week and we got that.

“We knew if we couldn’t reach an agreement, there could be a strike.”

Gookins said he and the members were pleased with the contract.

“There was a lot of work put into it by the people on our negotiating committee,” he said.

Rebecca Ladner, superintendent of the Bay-Waveland School District, said she was relieved the two sides reached an agreement.

“From the onset, First Student assured us our transportation wouldn’t be interrupted, and that meant a lot to us,” she said.