MSBSD school bus workers strike as contract negotiations stall

Students and families in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District (MSBSD) are facing a second day of no school bus service, with many being warned that there may not be any bus services the rest of the week.

MSBSD has announced that bus service for Regions 1–5 is suspended from March 3 through March 6, 2026, due to the bus strike. This impacts most schools, excluding Su-Valley Jr/Sr High, Talkeetna Elementary, Trapper Creek Elementary, Willow Elementary, and Glacier View School. Friday is a teacher work day. There is no school for students.

Meanwhile, bus drivers were out again on the picket lines in sub-zero temperatures outside the Durham Bus Barn in Wasilla, preparing for an unfair labor practice strike that could last weeks.

“We need Durham to actually come back to the negotiating table,” said Kelsey Taylor, The Teamsters Local 959 Union Representative. “We even have a mediator to be available through the weekend to try and get this done, but they’re not making themselves available.”

In a statement last week, Durham School Services (DSS) stated that they and the Union accepted formal negotiation dates of March 17 and 18, with a mediator present.

“We’ll meet with them any day, any time,” said Taylor.

Negotiations between DSS and the Union began back in June 2025, but the Union says that Durham has either not shown up, or has been slow to meet, unprepared for bargaining sessions, and unwilling to provide information the union requested.

Teamsters 959 addressed some of the issues they say surround negotiations, including the use of Hire Right and its “ongoing, overbearing, and costly requirements”; fleet readiness and mechanical safety for all buses to be road-ready and able to service all routes; adherence to district-required training and check-rides for new hires and drivers before they are allowed to operate on the roads; and aligning the Mat-Su School District Pupil Transportation procedures regarding student contact in the collective bargaining agreement.

“We’ve got maintenance issues, time management issues from the company that are contributing to the late buses that are running late constantly. We’re asking the company to put enough time in the morning so that our people have enough time for the pre-checks and safety checks, and everything that goes into getting ready for the day. We want to see these buses run on time,” said Taylor from the picket line. “Every member of the school board should be out here with us, pressuring Durham to do what they’re supposed to do.”

According to Taylor, the school district has the ability to impose fines on DSS for service deficiencies and he questions how seriously the district is taking that accountability. The reps hope that the MSBSD will vigorously enforce the contract in place so drivers will have the buses they need, training, and accountability.

Teamsters Local 959 had hoped to avoid another strike with Durham, following a strike back in 2023 that lasted six weeks, but expressed frustration that Durham has not indicated any movement, nor ad interest in negotiating at all with them.

“We’ve made every attempt possible to avoid this outcome. We just don’t have a partner in Durham, and neither does the community,” he said.

“There’s been checkpoints that they (DSS) have blown through,” says Patrick FitzGerald, a coordinator with Teamsters Local 959. Those checkpoints include the final offer rejection, but the contract expiring in February, and the notice of impasse that kick started the 10-day countdown to the strike. “Every single warning sign has been there, and they continue to drive through all the barriers and off the cliff because they don’t respect or care for this community.”

For its part, DSS had issued a statement before the strike stating that such a move is “unnecessary and disruptive, especially when the parties were already scheduled to meet and finalize an agreement,” the Durham statement reads. There is a scheduled dates of mediation between the two sides set for March 17 and18.

“Durham is fully prepared to negotiate with the Union on the dates they originally selected. Walking out now—before mediation, before the scheduled bargaining sessions, and before the process is complete—serves only to disrupt families and repeat the harm caused by the 2023 strike,” the statement continued.

“We are interested in a fair contract and in negotiating with Durham, but in order to do that, they actually have to show up,” says Taylor.

Regarding the potential community impact of a long bus strike, FitzGerald acknowledged the unfortunate disruption but emphasized the long-term benefits. "We understand the impact on this community and it’s unfortunate," FitzGerald said. "However, our actions now are aimed at delivering better bus services for everyone. While this is tough, we appreciate the support we've seen so far and hope the community continues to stand with us."