School bus drivers vote to join Teamsters

WASILLA — By a wide margin, Valley school bus drivers elected to start the process of joining the Teamsters.

The drivers and the Teamsters Local 959 union held a vote Monday to see who wanted to join the union. The vote was 134 to 43 out of 230 employees of First Student Inc. That number includes bus drivers, attendants (people who help with special-needs students), and monitors (people who watch the students).

Ken Coleman, secretary-treasurer of Teamsters Local 959, said, “We hope to sit down with representatives of the company (First Student Inc.) within the a month.”

He said the main goals were for improving working conditions such as better maintenance, safety, health care, wages, respect and benefits.

“As of the last 18 months of organizing, we have 20,285 members in a state and nationwide effort to drive up standards,” said Coleman.

Renee Markee, a bus driver for 10 years, said, “I wanted to be able to afford better medical benefits for myself and my family.”

Virginia Filkns, a bus driver since last November said, “We just wanted to get organized to get better wages for the responsibility that we have.”

Both women said they transport very precious cargo and should be paid accordingly.

Derek Musto the local organizer for the 959 Teamsters Union said he has been very pleased with the whole process.

“It has been a great campaign. The workers have been great and we have had no problems with management.”

He also said, “Within Alaska we have had success in organizing unions in Fairbanks, the Peninsula of Kenai and we hope to move into Kodiak and Juneau.”

“Now the vote is over,” Coleman said, “It is time to sit down and see what people want and what we can bring to the table.”