Teachers Support Bus Drivers Considering Strike In Anne Arundel County

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD — The Anne Arundel County teachers union voiced support Thursday for the school bus drivers threatening to strike. If the drivers go on strike, over 7,000 students in Anne Arundel County could go without transportation.

About 170 drivers and aides voted "overwhelmingly" Monday to authorize a strike amid frustrations with their health benefits. The vote did not immediately start a strike. It just gave the union permission to initiate a strike if negotiations break down.

The Teachers Association of Anne Arundel County sent a letter to Student Transportation of America, the parent company that employs the drivers considering a strike.

"Your employees who are critical to students' ability to access their right to a public education deserve respect, living wages, and good benefits," TAAAC said. "However, your company has created a two-tiered health care structure that denies bus drivers and attendants access to the better and affordable health care plans that the rest of your employees enjoy. This is unjust and cannot stand."

The drivers are represented by UFCW Local 1994 MCGEO and are dissatisfied with their employer's best and final offer.

The drivers are employed by Annapolis Bus Company (ABC) and RE Wilson. Both companies operate in unison under the umbrella of Student Transportation of America.

This was RE Wilson's first strike vote. Annapolis Bus Company drivers went on strike four years ago before they were represented by a union, sparking pay increases and bonuses for bus employees.

"When your bus drivers and attendants participated in a work action in 2021, they successfully won safety measures that protected them on the job," TAAAC said. "Not only that, but these improvements allowed STA to enhance recruitment and retention of staff which positively benefited the entire Anne Arundel County Public Schools community by ensuring that our students could safely and reliably get to and from school. UFCW members and their advocacy, then and now, make clear how essential bus drivers are to our school communities."

The TAAAC letter was addressed to Student Transportation of America CEO Gene Kowalczewski and Chief Negotiator Dave Frenzia.

The letter signatories from TAAAC were President Kristina Korona, Vice President Jorge Córdoba and Secretary-Treasurer Diane Barnes. The other signers were the members of TAAAC's Board of Directors: Charis Cephas, Maria Côté, Dyana Cronin, Maryalice Davis, Will Johnson, Christopher Lerch, Melissa McHarg, Elizabeth Ruddy, Keanuú Smith-Brown and Karina Zotti.

"We urge you to go back to the bargaining table to take immediate action to ensure a settlement is reached in good faith so that your transportation employees can head into this Labor Day weekend, knowing that their work is valued and they have the wages and benefits to sustain themselves and their families," TAAAC said.

Superintendent Urges Quick Resolution

With classes resuming this week, Anne Arundel County Public Schools Superintendent Mark Bedell urged negotiators to strike a deal before students suffer.

"Whatever the issues that exist between these drivers and aides and their employer, one thing is for certain: Our students and families are on the brink of paying a heavy price for a disagreement that is not of their or our school district’s making," Bedell said in a Monday press release. "A strike, should there be one, will leave dozens of routes uncovered and students with no way to get to and from school."

Combined, the bus contractors operate 84 bus routes and transport approximately 7,251 students daily.

The bus companies operate routes at the elementary, middle and high school levels. They primarily transport students in the Annapolis, Arundel, Broadneck, Crofton and South River areas.

The bus contractors also operate 11 routes that transport students to nonpublic settings in Baltimore County and Baltimore City.

"I have spoken with officials from STA and emphasized to them that even though no strike date has been set, our students simply should not and cannot be pawns in a negotiating game," Bedell said.
"The changes we have made in our Transportation Division have allowed us to start the last two school years with zero bus driver vacancies and helped to increase academic achievement across our school district. It is imperative that these two sides find common ground quickly to avoid any regression in either of those areas."

Families can sign up for bus disruption notifications at aacps.org/buses.

Union Sends 'Strong Message'

The "vast majority" of the drivers are full-time. Only a handful are part-time, said UFCW's Ray Lee, special assistant to the union president.

Lee declined to release the final vote tally of the drivers and aides, but he said over 90% of one group and over 80% of the other voted to authorize the strike.

"I hope it sends a strong message to the employer that they're ready to do whatever it takes to get what they need," Lee told Patch in a Monday interview. "This just shows the courage of these employees and their willingness to stand in solidarity to protect themselves and their families."

The drivers' biggest concern is inadequate health insurance.

"One of the main sticking points is adequate and reasonable access to health care," Lee said on Friday. "What they're offering them right now is the bare minimum that's required under federal and state law."

The Annapolis Bus Company and RE Wilson declined Patch's request for comment.

Student Transportation of America released this statement to Patch on Monday:

"Annapolis Bus Company (ABC) and RE Wilson have partnered with the Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS) for many successful years, and we recognize how critical it is to maintain operational readiness. We are in ongoing communication with AACPS, the Union and our local drivers regarding the recent contract discussions. We understand the concerns it raises for students and families, and our top priority is maintaining continuity of service.

"ABC and RE Wilson value the dedication of our drivers and the vital role they play in supporting students each day. We remain hopeful this matter will be resolved quickly so we can continue providing safe, reliable services to area students."

Anne Arundel County relies on several bus companies, not just this conglomerate. A strike would not disrupt every bus route in the county.

"We believe that the employer is not going to budge on their last proposal," Lee said Friday.

Lee said the bus company only offers health benefits to drivers through the Affordable Care Act. He doesn't think that's good enough.

"It's more like a coupon," Lee said Friday, pointing to some drivers with out-of-pocket expenses topping $1,000.

Lee said the bus company provides its office workers with health insurance through CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield. He hopes drivers can access the same benefits.

"No deal gets done without affordable and adequate health care access to the employees," Lee said Friday.

History Of Bus Issues

Bus driver labor issues were a hot topic when students returned to schools after the pandemic shutdown.

In October 2021, Annapolis Bus Company drivers went on a wildcat strike, a work stoppage before they were represented by a union. That meant the workers went without pay during the strike. Now represented by the union, the drivers will collect strike pay if a work stoppage ensues.

The high-profile dispute prompted signing and retention bonuses about a month later. That stemmed the tide of the bus driver shortage, but it didn't fix it completely.

Bus issues continued into autumn 2022, with families checking a website daily to see if their students would have a bus that day.

Still facing bus delays and cancelations, AACPS required families to opt into bus service for their students starting in April 2022.

AACPS later hired van drivers to fill the gaps. School bus drivers need a commercial license, but van drivers do not. That made it easier for schools to find drivers for small shuttles that substituted some absent buses. By December 2022, AACPS had restored service to nearly 1,600 students with this strategy.

AACPS now has zero bus driver vacancies. There are 59 drivers in training as of Aug. 13. The school system still needs four more van drivers.

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