If you are new to this website or our campaign, let me first start by welcoming you. As you poke around you will see that more than 200 school bus and transit workers were in Jacksonville, Florida last week to support the organizing campaign at that area's First Student bus yards. Many of us are already Teamsters, and soon we will call the 900-plus workers in the North Florida First Student yards Teamsters, too!

The Union held its School Bus Workers Congress in Florida to discuss how to make First Student a union company -- and to communicate the importance of driving up the standards in our industy. We are with the collective mindset that we need positive changes in wages, health care, safety and RESPECT.

 We rallied outside the Arlington yard last Thursday morning in an energized, spirited and peaceful march. Just in case our voices were not heard (though that is doubtful), we held signs that read, "Respect," "Paid Vacations," and "Fairness." The music was pumping and the enthusiastic show of solidarity proved to workers that we can gain a voice and much more by being part of the Teamsters Union.

Teamster General President Jim Hoffa was there. He talked to us, listened to our concerns and provided sincere encouragement after our "march on the boss" -- where we told First Student management that w're making some needed changes and making them NOW by staying united and forming our union.

If you are coming around this site for the first time -- or you are a regular visitor, keep this in mind: The Teamsters are the real deal and we're here to stay!