National Labor Relations Board Issues Complaint Against Baumann Bus

Complaint Highlights Gross Injustices Against Workers Seeking Fair Contract

FARMINGDALE, N.Y., April 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On April 21, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), after an investigation, issued a consolidated amended complaint against Baumann Bus, a Long Island transportation company that employs nearly 1,800 members of Teamsters Local 1205. The NLRB complaint alleges that the company engaged in numerous violations of federal labor law, including bad faith bargaining and interference with worker rights. Baumann drivers, monitors and mechanics voted overwhelmingly in November 2009 to join Local 1205 and are now fighting for a fair and just contract.  

The complaint charges that the Baumann Bus Company has been:

• Interfering with, restraining and coercing employees in the exercise of the rights guaranteed in the National Labor Relations Act;
• Discriminating in regard to the hire and tenure or terms and conditions of employment of its employees, thereby discouraging membership in a labor organization in violation of the Act; and
• Failing and refusing to bargain collectively and in good faith with the Union.

After five months of negotiations, the company has yet to make an economic proposal, has been unresponsive to workers' proposals and has not made one economic counter-offer to the workers' economic proposals after nine negotiation sessions. The company negotiators have also been largely unavailable to meet and have cancelled a number of scheduled negotiations.

"Baumann has drivers employed here for more than 20 years who are making only $10 and change an hour! They have school bus maintenance employees, repairing vehicles that transport Long Island's children, making $9 per hour!

"There are Baumann employees who have no electricity in their homes. These outrages shouldn't go on for another minute.  Every human being deserves a dignified wage, benefits and to be treated with respect on the job," said Timothy Lynch, President of Local 1205.

"Our employer is doing all he can to delay agreeing to a contract and we are successfully organizing our co-workers to fight back. We're proudly asking for and getting the support of thousands of people in our communities, including in our schools and government," said a Baumann driver.

The Baumann Monitoring Commission, a volunteer commission made up of prominent community leaders throughout Long Island, released a report last fall that called on Baumann Bus to be a responsible employer and correct injustices inflicted on its workers who were organizing with Local 1205 at the time. The report detailed many examples of Baumann Bus's anti-worker corporate behavior, including its extensive union busting techniques.

The Commission has pledged to continue to monitor the situation and release its findings to all interested parties, including elected officials, public and private school officials and the press.

Founded in 1903, the Teamsters Union represents more than 1.4 million hardworking men and women in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.

SOURCE Teamsters Local Union 1205, Farmingdale, NY