Union Claims City Turned Down Offer To End School Bus Strike

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As the city's school bus strike enters its third week, the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1181 union says the city turned down an offer that may have ended the walkout. NY1's Vivian Lee filed the following report.

Union leaders with school bus drivers' Local 1181 brought in the big guns Wednesday morning, inviting the president of the union's parent, Amalgamated Transit International, to a news conference.

Was City Hall right to reject the offer from the ATU to end the strike? How is the strike affecting you or your family? Join the conversation on "The Call" at 9 p.m. with NY1's John Schiumo, or email your thoughts.

He urged parents to contact Mayor Michael Bloomberg and pressure him to allow job protection for unionized workers in any new contracts awarded by the city to bus companies.

The mayor refuses to allow job protection in city contracts, pointing to a court ruling two years ago that found the provision illegal in some contracts. But the union says that doesn't apply here.

"We hope that you, the press, will get the story out to the people," said Larry Hanley of Amalgamated Transit Union International.

Mediated talks between the union and a coalition of employers went nowhere earlier this week, and the union suggested a cooling-off period of as many as 90 days. During that time, drivers would go back to work, but only if the city slowed down the bidding process for the bus routes.

"We don't know why that would be rejected," said Michael Cordiello, president of Local 1181. "We think it's a viable way to end the strike."

The union says the cooling off period would allow all sides to take a closer look at administrative costs, the size of the bus fleet and what it calls an inefficient network of bus routes as reasons behind soaring costs.

But a spokeswoman with the mayor's office disagrees.

"Postponing the bids would guarantee that the same billion-dollar contracts we have now stay in place next year," a statement from the mayor's office reads, in part. "The union is irresponsibly holding our students and city hostage."

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, one of the bus companies sent a letter urging striking workers to return. Pioneer Transportation warned that if they don't, they will lose their company health benefits on Friday. And Pioneer said they could soon lose any chance of ever getting back to work, either because other companies take over the bus routes or because permanent replacement workers take over their jobs.

To find updated route information, visit schools.nyc.gov.

Source: http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stories/176203/union-claims-city-turned-down-offer-to-end-school-bus-strike

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