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CONTRACT UPDATE: Next Round of Negotiations March 23-25
Four years ago, First Student Teamsters made history by ratifying a national master agreement, the first of its kind in the busing industry, and the union is getting closer to presenting workers with an updated master agreement.
Your Teamsters First Student Negotiating Committee is making progress. After two successful rounds of negotiations, the next contract talks are scheduled March 23-25.
“We’re getting closer, but we want to make sure we negotiate the best contract possible,” said Rick Middleton, School Bus Director and Co-Chairman of the Negotiating Committee. “We appreciate our First Student members’ patience and support. That support is truly making a difference as we move forward.
It’s important to remind First Student Teamster about the agreement. It provides:
- Immediate, standard language from which all future contracts will build upon;
- A “best of both worlds” clause for yards that already have contracts. This allows local unions to apply the highest standards from either a local agreement or the national contract, preventing any workers from bargaining down;
- A new qualification threshold for the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which reduces hours worked from 1,250 to 700;
- Whistleblower protections for employees who point out unsafe equipment or working conditions;
- Free flu shots for employees who want them;
- Paid jury duty leave for up to three weeks;
- Unemployment security;
- Employer-paid uniforms for any workers required to wear them; and
- Creation of a national grievance procedure.
- AND MUCH MORE TO COME IN 2015!
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