NYC School Bus Drivers to Strike
NYC School Bus Drivers to Strike
Over 8,000 drivers will strike starting Wednesday morning.
New York City school bus drivers plan to strike Wednesday morning unless their contract demands are met. The union wants more job protections as the city puts bus contracts out to bid for 1100 routes to save money.
Mayor Bloomberg said the State Court of Appeals has already said the city can't legally offer those protections.
"This provision is the only reason the union is calling a strike. They will pretend it is about safety, but the fact is these contracts include the exact same safety provisions as the current contracts."
In a press conference this afternoon, Michael Cordiello, president of the Local 1181, said the city is misinterpreting the ruling regarding the employee protection provision (EPP).
He said, "It's not illegal to put the EPP in, and it is not illegal for us to strike."
Over 8,000 drivers are expected to take part in the strike.
The city has made plans to accommodate the 150,000 children affected, including free MetroCards provided for students and transportation reimbursement for special needs children.
