School bus drivers and monitors with Alpha School Bus in Crestwood, Ill., have ratified their first three-year agreement by a nearly unanimous vote. The contract improves working conditions and secures job protections for more than 270 drivers and monitors, who are members of Teamsters Local 777 in Lyons, Ill.

Highlights of the agreement include:

• Wage increases;

• A ratification bonus;

• Paid holidays;

• Maintenance of two flex days;

• Bereavement leave;

• Pay at regular rate for jury duty service;

• Personal/medical leave eligibility after 90 days of service;

• A process for payroll discrepancies to be promptly addressed;

• A first-time safety bonus for all drivers AND monitors;

• Right to refuse to drive an unsafe bus;

• An attendance bonus;

• Improved health insurance plan which also now covers the monitors;

• Grievance Procedure;

• Fairness on bidding and charter rotations;

• Guaranteed route times; and

• Snow days.

Jim Glimco, Teamsters Local 777 President, noted that raising the starting rate for drivers and monitors now makes them competitive with other Teamster school bus contracts in the area.

“It was a long negotiation, but in the end we got a very good contract and both sides ended up with a good understanding of each other. We look forward to this continuing into the future,” Glimco said.

“We are really proud of our contract. We worked hard in negotiations. Now with our contract we have fairness, and the safety bonus for not just drivers, but also the monitors. We’re happy,” said Felicia Bailey-Weems, a seven-year Alpha driver.

For more information on the Teamsters Drive Up Standards campaign to improve safety, service and work standards in the private school bus and transit industry, go to www.driveupstandards.org.

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