As I sit here pondering about this yard I can't help but be reminded of my own campaign before First Student had their Freedom of Association policy and I remember the feeling of uncertainty because of how threatened we felt . But we had lost so much by that point that we finally realized that we would just continue to lose things if we didn't stand up. I met with a group of driver from Dallastown, PA. this morning and as I listened to their issues I was thinking "different company but same problems". Bonuses promised but not delivered and pay rate "frozen" with flimsy to no excuses, buses being unsafe and if a driver refuses to drive one of these buses the driver is written up. Introduction of GPS on the buses, not being paid for their hours worked and I could just keep going.
We do one of the most important jobs, we are entrusted with the safety of children all across the country, and yet you are lied to, walked on, threatened with retaliation if you dare to speak of forming your union. Durham says they value you, well how valued do you feel when you find out you will not be getting the bonus that has been promised , or when you are "frozen" at the same pay rate for the past 2 years, or you are given a lower starting wage then everyone else, with no explanation as to why this is happening
You have a unique opportunity in front of you right now, to make Durham finally understand that you have had enough, and you want change, and you're ready to take the bull by the horns and get those changes by forming your union. All your brother and sister bus workers are standing behind you, supporting you, applauding your effort and ready to lend a hand.
I'd like to add my two cents
I'd like to add my two cents here. I have been a teamster bus driver for 12 years. I too had the same issues with a different company. Laidlaw. Now we are First Student. I still have issues.
The days of school buses being run by "mom and pop" companies are gone. When we used to work for "people" we used to be happy because they treated us with the respect and paid what they could.
With the expectations that have come about over the years for being a school bus driver, there is not enough given to drivers from the big companies. There is a lot of responsibilities in our job. Yet the companies do not pass on anything they just keep on taking away.
Before we were teamsters, we always got the line, "I'm sorry my hands are tied". Favoritism was rampant. Even to this day we are still having issues with buses that we have been complaining about for some time.
Being a bus driver, we all fall under the same Federal DOT guidelines. Each state uses these guides and can add to them. If something happens on the road while you are driving, even though the company says your bus is safe, it will fall onto your shoulders. When issues arise they always fall onto the driver who should know better. It's their license.
We are all the same. Just different companies. It is time for all drivers to stand up for themselves. They can tell you "this is a part time job what do you expect?" but who will do this job? It takes a very special person to become a driver and continue for years to stay a driver. Not many people can handle this profession. Times are not getting easier. Kids, the economy, technology, etc are all changing and along with them driving a bus has more and more responsibilities.
This is a very carefully watched industry. If you make one wrong move your job is gone. After all, children are involved and don't we always protect our children?
Good luck
Donna LeMay Salem NH
My name is Laura and I work
My name is Laura and I work for the Dallastown Pa Durham Lot.
At the beginning of the school year we were called in to our big "before school meeting" and told that our wages were being frozen and our saftey bonus program was changing. Later they came out and told us that the new saftey bonus would consist of pins, certificates, and jackets. Let me tell ya where they can stick their new bonus program!
I would like a chance to sit down with the Durham Big Wigs and ask them how they justify telling us that we don't deserve a wage increase or our safety bounuses, when they are recieving over $2.5 million per year under the current contract with the school. In fact they are recieving a 3.5% increase per year....where is my increase? I would love to see those same Durham Executives try to live off of what they pay us every week! Corporate greed is the downfall of this entire country! When did we stop valuing the American Worker?
We need to uninte as one voice and stand up to the corporate greed that is Durham School Services. It's time that we took back the voice of the American Worker. We are professionals and deserve to be treated with respect.
I have been talking to alot of people in my yard, and the anti-union people's biggest argument is that we don't need a union..... Well to those people I say I guess your right.....if you like having things taken away, and being treated like something lower than what your dog leaves for ya in your backyard, then yeah we don't need a union. And to everyone who doesn't want to be treated like something lower on the food chan than dog droppings then we need to vote this union in. If the company won't give us respect, fair wages, and fair treatment.....welll then I say it's time we stand up and demand it!!!!!!!!!
d-town bus lot need to form
I hope to soon become a
I hope to soon become a teamsters member , but we have to all get together and join in the fight against durham. We have got to stop them from taking any thing else from us.I hope some no all drivers from dallastown read this, because I think that next we are really going to pay the price of durham ways by getting a pay cut. There is not much else or anything else for them to take. Think about what they said at the verry first meeting we ever had with them, NOTHING WILL CHANGE, I think they really meant was EVERYTHING WILL CHANGE. So then lets follow in their footsteps and change for the BETTER by getting the union in.We are not the only yard to do this, there are plenty of others that are feed up with things too.