Illinois Central School Bus Workers Join Teamsters Local 777

Aurora and Montgomery Workers Unite for Better Safety, Working Conditions

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- School bus drivers and monitors at Illinois Central School Bus in Aurora and Montgomery, Ill., have voted by an overwhelming 4 to 1 margin to join Teamsters Local 777 in Lyons, Ill. The 92 workers joined together seeking improved safety and working conditions at the nation's fifth-largest provider of school bus transportation. 

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"It's great that we won our union and I'm looking forward to a better life for all of us. We need fair pay, sick time and safety issues to be resolved," said Belarmino Sagols, a driver.

This is the seventh Illinois Central location to join the Teamsters in recent months. Since April, 673 workers at seven Illinois Central school bus yards have become Teamsters.

Teamster school bus drivers and monitors recently ratified a master agreement with Illinois Central that improves working conditions and secures job and school bus safety protections. The agreement was ratified by an overwhelming 3 to 1 margin.

Economic terms and additional workplace improvements will be negotiated in a supplemental agreement at the Aurora and Montgomery locations.

"We welcome these hardworking drivers and monitors to the Teamsters and look forward to negotiating a strong contract that honors their service," said Jim Glimco, President of Local 777.

The 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 35,000 drivers, monitors, aides, attendants and mechanics have become Teamsters.

For more information on the Drive Up Standards campaign, go to www.driveupstandards.org.

Founded in 1903, the Teamsters Union represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Visit www.teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and "like" us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/teamsters. 

SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters