New Hampshire School Bus Drivers and Monitors Choose Teamsters (26-5)

[Omaha Steve]

http://sev.prnewswire.com/education/20090611/DC3136611062009-1.html

First Student Workers Unite for Respect and Better Working Conditions

WASHINGTON, June 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- First Student school bus drivers and monitors in Hillsboro, Hopkinton and North Sutton, New Hampshire, have voted to join Teamsters Local 633 with a 26-5 vote. There are 41 workers in the bargaining unit.

"We are all thrilled to become Teamsters," said First Student driver Greg Clapp. "We hope to get a contract that will guarantee us better wages, benefits and work conditions."

Other main priorities are better and more affordable health care and respect from management.

"The Teamsters welcome the First Student drivers and will work hard to negotiate for them a good, first contract that will give them the wages and benefits they deserve for the hard work they do," said David W. Laughton, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 633 and of Joint Council 10.

The victory is the latest in an effort to organize private school bus and transit workers across the country. Drive Up Standards is a national campaign to improve safety, service and work standards in the private school bus and transit industry. Since the campaign began in 2006, more than 18,500 drivers, monitors, aides, mechanics and attendants have become Teamsters.

Founded in 1903, the Teamsters Union represents more than 1.4 million hardworking men and women in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.
Website: http://www.teamster.org