Swanzey Workers Among 10,000 Bus Workers Who've Voted Teamsters Since 2006

 

First Student school bus drivers and monitors in Swanzey, New Hampshire voted to join Teamsters Local 633 in Manchester, marking a major milestone in the Teamsters' nationwide campaign to drive up standards for workers in the school bus and transit industry. With their nearly 2 to 1 vote in favor of Teamster representation, these workers are now among the 10,000 bus and transit workers who have chosen to become Teamsters since 2006.

"I am thrilled," said Paul Ells, a driver at First Student's Swanzey bus yard. "We wanted this for a better life. We will have recourse now and a say at work. Everybody pulled together to make it happen."

"My hat is off to the Swanzey First Student employees and I wholeheartedly welcome them to Local 633," said David W. Laughton, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 633 and Joint Council 10, serving the New England region. "Our next order of business is to negotiate improvements to their working conditions, pay and benefits, like we have been doing throughout the state."

The 85 workers in Swanzey are now the fifth First Student location in New Hampshire to vote overwhelmingly to join Local 633. According to organizer Roger Travers, school bus workers who had already organized as Teamsters were instrumental in assisting the Swanzey group in their vote for Teamster representation. The volunteers from other Teamster First Student locations told of their positive experiences after they had Teamster contracts in place on the job. "It is very satisfying to know that we have taken the first step in making an enormous change in the lives of these working families," said Robin Loder, a First Student driver who was key in organizing her own yard, and who helped out her nonunion First Student coworkers in Swanzey.

Local 633 has already requested negotiating dates and contract proposals are set to be taken in the next several days. Local 633 represents over 500 bus drivers throughout the state of New Hampshire.

This 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 10,000 workers have become Teamsters.