School bus drivers with First Student in Stoughton, Massachusetts, voted today to join Teamsters Local 653 in South Easton. After witnessing the superior wages, benefits and working conditions achieved by Teamster-represented school bus workers at nearby First Student locations, the workers voted overwhelmingly, 10-2, to become Teamsters.

“We had a clear sign of solidarity among our group that it was time for us to become a part of the bigger picture as far as pay, benefits and job security are concerned,” said Tom Kelly, one of the 12 drivers in Stoughton. “We saw Teamster yards in the area had negotiated high standards and we wanted that.”

According to Mike Clark, President of Local 653, the local now represents workers at six First Student locations and organized three of those yards in 2010, bringing114 more First Student workers into the union.

“We’re proud to welcome another group of hardworking school bus drivers to the Teamsters in New England and look forward to negotiating another strong contract,” said David W. Laughton, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Joint Council 10.

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 27,500 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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