(Washington, DC) – School bus workers with First Student in Columbus, Ohio, have voted 170 to 46 to become members of Teamsters Local 413 in Columbus. There are 274 drivers in the bargaining unit.

“We just want fairness, and being Teamsters will give us that,” said Renee Turner, a driver since 2007. “When I saw that we had won I was so happy. If my back wasn’t hurting I would have stood up and danced!”

“This was a great win and those folks certainly need us,” said Tony Jones, President of Local 413. “There were so many horror stories from the workers about not getting paid, the company playing games with their insurance, all sorts of things.”

“The International and the organizers that came in did a tremendous job and we are grateful for the great work they did,” Jones added.

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 29,100 drivers, monitors, aides, mechanics and attendants have become Teamsters.

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

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

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