(Washington, D.C.) – School bus drivers and monitors with First Student in South Holland, Illinois, have voted to join Teamsters Local 777 in Brookfield. The 215 workers are looking forward to improving their working conditions, including gaining fairness and respect from their employer.
“I feel I’ve been mistreated. There is so much favoritism here,” said Gwen Macek, a driver. “I’m happy about our vote because I wouldn’t have stayed here if we didn’t get our union.”
“We need management to follow some core values, like respecting us,” said Argentry Dean, a driver. “I’ve been loaned out to other First Student locations, like Crest Hill, which is a Teamster yard, and it’s much better there. I’m glad we voted Teamsters.”
According to Local 777 President Jim Glimco, the new members were determined and worked hard to gain Teamster representation.
“They did a great job,” Glimco said. “Thanks to the workers, our local, Joint Council 25 and the International Union coming together, the Teamsters are on the map in Illinois in terms of raising standards in the school bus industry.”
“Congratulations to the workers for their victory. This shows that when we all work together, great things can happen and we look forward to more school bus workers joining the Teamsters in Illinois,” said John T. Coli, International Union Vice President and President of Joint Council 25.
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 26,200 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.