This is very dissapointing. They must have their right to choose their way. The interfrence may be allowed but they need to consider demand.

portal development

I have been a school bus driver for 22 years. I work for First Student, Exeter division.Last fall I finally got fed up with the way management treats their drivers. Changes needed to be made to protect the rights of the drivers........something I've never had in all my years of driving.....RIGHTS. Another driver contacted a union organizer and I must say it's the best thing we ever did. We started out as a group of 4 in the basement of a church.....boy were we scared. The fight was long and never easy but well worth all the effort we put forth. Management will tell you that you don't want a union. They will give you all the usual reasons that benefit no one but management. Union dues....that's a big one. I don't have alot of money and work paycheck to paycheck just like most people in our business but my union dues come out of my check with a smile on my face. Union dues are NOT paid until you have a contract.It's also not paid in the summer if you don't work.It's money well spent....just for peace of mind alone. I have job security....something you will never have without a union. We got a nice increase in wages. If not for the union we would have a wage freeze. We also got $50.00 per month for safety and attendance. We have paid Holidays. We get longevity pay....$5.00 per week for every 5 years you work. I have 18 years so I get $15.00 a week. For the first time in years I have health insurance and it doesn't cost an arm and a leg. I've heard that you're being told that a contract can take up to 3 years to get....NOT TRUE. We voted the union in on April 17,2009 and we ratified our contract on Aug.24,2009. Most important is now we get respect. We deserve it. We have alot of responsibility. Don't let management intimidate you. Stand up for your RIGHTS. Vote union....you'll be much happier. These are facts not lies.

The first thing you have to tell the workers who are worried is this: 

Why would management be so worried and concerned for "the workers" being represented by a union?  They never had a concern for "the workers" before there was union talk.  Every time a member of management claims what the union will do to the workers what they really are worried about is their loss of control and power of minipulation.

Union dues are not taken out day of election or day after.

Not sure about teamsters but we don't have dues taken out until a contract is in place.

At the next "safety meeting", if there is someone who can handle the retribution, have them stand up after they get done with their anti-union propaganda program and rebut all their bullshit with the facts.  The benefits will be twofold.  One the membership will get both sides of the issue and they will also see that people aren't afraid to say the word union out loud like it is a bad word.

They tried the same thing at our location (we are first student).  They showed this anti union propaganda film then the contract manager spoke.  I stood up to ask a question and the safety manager tried to prevent ANY questions bytelling us any questions can be discussed back at the office.  Well, that didn't sit well with me.  I stood up and said "If you can force us to watch a 1/2 hour anti-union propaganda film during a safety meeting you will sit there and let us tell the other side of the issue and dispel all the bullcrap that film passed off."

It turned ugly and we got into a shouting match but the point was made, we are organized and we are not afrid to stand up to management's bullshit.  As a result I got my hours cut by 75% and got shitty bus assignments but it was worth it.

I hope this helps.  Feel free to contact me if I can help out at all.  My contact info can be found by clicking my name.