The School Bus Workers United campaign is about workers joining together to make a difference in their working lives. It’s about achieving fair pay and decent health care, but just as importantly, it’s about achieving higher quality and safety standards in the school bus industry.

Because entire communities are impacted by standards in this industry, this campaign often receives a great deal of community support. Various local—and even national—social, political and religious groups have used their voice to call for improvements in the school bus industry. Here are just a few examples of the many locations where school bus workers have received extensive support:

Durham, Kansas City, Missouri:

School bus drivers and monitors at Durham in Kansas City, Missouri, had tried to form a union twice in the past, but recently decided to go with the Teamsters in their final, successful attempt.

The 290 workers had a huge amount of support from Kansas City community and faith leaders, including strong backing by the Kansas City Teachers & School Related-Personnel, American Federation of Teachers Local 691, Kansas City Jobs with Justice and Reverend Kenneth Ray of the Baptist Ministers Union, representing over 100 churches, among other supporters.

Clint Zweifel, Missouri State Treasurer, told the workers in a letter, “As a Teamster myself, I understand the importance and benefits union membership brings to the workplace… I voice my full support for the Teamsters and the employees of Durham School Services… There has never been a more important time for workers to have the right to organize.”

The workers also made their voices heard in the media, appearing on KKFI 90.1 FM, where they were interviewed by Judy Ancel, Director of the Institute for Labor Studies at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

The Durham workers voted an overwhelming 203-63 to join Teamsters Local 838.

Baumann Bus, Long Island, New York:

Workers with Baumann Bus in New York had the support of a broad range of prominent political, community and faith leaders in their efforts to join Teamsters Local 1205, including Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY), Rep.Tim Bishop (D-NY), and New York Governor David Paterson.

The Baumann Monitoring Commission, a volunteer commission made up of community leaders throughout Long Island, stood up for the workers’ right to organize free of interference and intimidation from their employer, whose anti-union campaign included high-priced “union avoidance consultants.” More than 40 prominent political and community leaders also signed an “Appeal for Justice” to Baumann, urging the company to respect the workers’ right to organize.

Through their hard work, and extensive political and community support, more than 1,700 school bus workers with the Baumann transportation companies on Long Island voted 906-644 to join the Teamsters. This is a truly historic election, as only 26 certification election victories have taken place for bargaining units of 1,700 or more employees through the National Labor Relations Board in the past 20 years.

The drivers, driver assistants and mechanics employed by Baumann & Sons Bus, Alert Coach, Acme Bus and Brookset Bus work at nine locations throughout Long Island.

First Student, Omaha, Nebraska:

First Student workers across the nation have received overwhelming support from community, religious and political leaders. The First Student school bus workers’ campaign in Omaha illustrates the difference that community backing can make as workers join together to form their union with the Teamsters.

Prior to the vote in Omaha, the workers held a rally at the Omaha East yard, where State Senator Tom White, D-Omaha, encouraged the workers to stand up for their rights. Also lending support were State Senator Gwen Howard, D-Omaha, and several other prominent community and labor leaders. Kathleen Sebelius, the Governor of Kansas, and the current Secretary of Health and Human Services in the Obama administration, also showed her support, writing to the workers, “I support the right of all people to organize and I am encouraged by your work to improve conditions for you and your coworkers.” More than 150 workers rallied in support of joining the Teamsters.

First Student drivers, associates and mechanics at the three First Student bus yards in Omaha voted 324-59 to join Teamsters Local 554.