Press Releases
STA School Bus Workers in New Jersey Choose Teamsters Union
(PINEBROOK, N.J.) – More than 150 school bus workers who transport students for Student Transportation of America (STA) in Pine Brook, New Jersey, have voted decisively to join Teamsters Local 102 in Springfield Township. The drivers and monitors stood united for fair wages, decent and affordable health insurance, respect and fairness on the job.
“I’m glad we did this. We are all very excited to be Teamsters,” said Luz Cadavid, a 9-year driver for STA and one of the leading members of the organizing committee. “We all stood together and I’m glad that we did. We will continue to work together to win a strong contract that will bring us fairness.”
The victory in Pine Brook marks just the latest group of workers who have been successful in their organizing efforts at STA, the third-largest school bus operator in the country. Cadavid and her co-workers will join with STA drivers and monitors in Parsippany, New Jersey, who voted to join Local 102 in December 2015.
“Workers in the school bus industry recognize that in these difficult economic times, they need a strong union to represent them,” said Kevin O’Connor, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 102. “This group was really motivated to win representation. The company put a lot of pressure on them to vote against the union, but they held their ground. We are proud to welcome them to the Teamsters Union.”
The Teamsters’ Drive Up Standards campaign is a global campaign to improve safety, service and work standards in the privatized school bus and transit industry. Since the campaign began in 2006, more than 46,000 drivers, monitors, aides, attendants and mechanics have become Teamsters. For more information on the Drive Up Standards campaign, go to www.driveupstandards.org.
Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Visit www.teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and “like” us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/teamsters.