The company that employs school bus drivers and monitors in the Brattleboro area has come to a tentative agreement with their union on a contract after weeks of contentious deliberations.
This narrowly averted a strike planned for Thursday that could have disrupted transportation for students at Windham Southeast Supervisory Union schools.
Although Vermont Teamsters Local 597 and Travel Kuz — an affiliate of Beacon Mobility — had come to an agreement on the financial and economic terms of their contract, there was still dispute over a Travel Kuz proposal attempting to axe language that allowed union members to refuse to cross picket lines if drivers strike in other communities.
But the bus service company walked back the proposal and agreed to honor the provision Wednesday evening, which led the union to accept the tentative agreement.
“They proposed to keep that status quo, which was good with us and we took that agreement,” said Curtis Clough, Vermont Teamsters Local 597 president.
The tentative deal increases the company's cost share for health insurance, and raises wages for drivers, Clough said. Another provision requires the company pay a penalty if payment is late.
Travel Kuz Vice President of Operations Scott Sheridan wrote in a statement Wednesday evening that the company is “pleased to have reached an agreement for our valued employees and remain committed to providing safe, reliable transportation for our students, schools and communities.”
Negotiations came to a breaking point in August after Travel Kuz locked drivers and monitors out of their offices in Brattleboro, launching picketing that bled into the start of WSSU’s school year.
Travel Kuz brought in replacement drivers to transport students during this work stoppage time. Families criticized the replacement drivers’ service and district officials called the situation “unacceptable.”
The bus service company accused union members of unlawful picketing and endangering students. The union disputes this claim. Travel Kuz eventually lifted the lockout and drivers returned to work on Sept. 2 as negotiations continued.
The union had filed a labor complaint against Travel Kuz for their conduct throughout the deliberations, which is currently being investigated by the National Labor Relation Board, according to Clough.
There are some lingering hard feelings within the union against Travel Kuz, Clough said, though he adds with the tentative agreement, the union intends to see if it can resolve all of its differences with Travel Kuz and “ start fresh.”
Members of the union plan to vote on whether to ratify the contract on Monday, he said.
Windham Southeast Supervisory Union Superintendent Mark Speno wrote in a Thursday statement that the district is glad to hear that the negotiations led to an agreement that they expect to be ratified. He added the district is ready to move forward.
