First Student Providence Teamsters Enter Final Day Of Negotiations With Mediator Thursday

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I., Sept. 19, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Teamsters Local 251 negotiators will make a last ditch effort to secure a new contract with First Student Providence on Thursday, September 20.

Teamsters Local 251 represents the men and women who work as drivers, monitors and trainers and provide bussing service to the Providence School District. The original contract expired last June.  Workers have been operating under an extension agreement.

After meeting with the company more than six times since June, the union presented the company's "last, best and final offer" to the membership.  On September 13, the members voted 72-8 to reject the proposal.  In a last ditch effort to avoid a work stoppage, Teamsters negotiators will meet with a Federal mediator and the company a last time on Thursday, September 20. 

A key sticking point is the company's refusal to provide the workers a pension. 

"Workers across the school district work under contracts with pensions," said Matt Taibi, Local 251 Secretary-Treasurer.  "Why should these bus workers be treated differently?" 

While First Student offered a 401(k) contribution, their proposal is unacceptable because of First Student's history of delinquent payments to the 401(k)s in other locations.  In the case of First Student workers in Belmont, New Hampshire, the union has repeatedly been forced to take the company into federal court to make the company forward contributions to the agreed plan. 

In an extraordinary step, the union did ratify an agreement that includes the pension and presented it to the company immediately following the contract rejection.

"We presented them a pre-ratified offer that is acceptable to the membership, all the company has to do is say yes and we can put these negotiations behind us and get to the business of servicing the community," said Jeff Padellaro, the Teamsters Joint Council 10 representative who is leading the negotiations.

If an agreement is not reached the Teamsters will examine its options including the right to strike.

"Teamsters throughout New England will stand in solidarity with our Providence brothers and sisters," said Sean O'Brien, Joint Council 10 Secretary-Treasurer.

Contact:
Brian Rainville, (773) 559-7180
[email protected]

SOURCE Teamsters Local 251