Bus drivers for Dalton Public Schools went on strike Monday due to what they say are anti-labor practices by the private transportation company contracted with the school system.
"We have several unfair labor practices going on," Chris Crowe, vice president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1212, said by phone.
Along with other concerns, Crowe said five of the drivers who worked in other locations during part of the summer had that opportunity canceled after they participated in union talks this spring.
Negotiations with First Student, the company contracted with the district to staff bus drivers, began in March, he said, but the strike is about anti-union actions from the company.
About a dozen strikers walked the picket line around 9:30 a.m. Monday, and organizers said there were as many as 40 earlier that morning. Crowe said 53 of the district's bus drivers are in the union.
According to a statement on the district's website, Dalton Public Schools classes were held online Monday, but Dalton Junior High School and the Dalton Academy will have in-person classes with regular bus routes Tuesday and Wednesday because the schools' eighth graders are taking standardized tests.
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All students with transportation should be in school, the district said, and those without transportation should participate in online classes. The district is still working on transportation options for Thursday and going forward, the district said.
An emailed statement from Superintendent Tim Scott apologized to families for the inconvenience of requiring them to find alternative transportation but said the district is not involved with the negotiations. He said the district has contracted with First Student to provide transportation for the past 20 years.
Scott directed all questions to the union and First Student and said updates about transportation will be posted on the district's website.
Cincinnati-based First Student serves more than 1,100 school districts, according to an email from Jen Biddinger, communications manager for the company.
Crowe said First Student has broken union laws including retaliating against drivers negotiating for the union. He also said First Student illegally told drivers they couldn't talk about the union at work and took down notices about the union from the bus drivers' bulletin board.
Bus drivers were unfairly disciplined, and were denied acess to a convient bathroom, Crowe said.
"We want First Student to stop breaking the law, stop harassing employees and treat them fairly," Crowe said, adding that the drivers filed complaints with the National Labor Relations Board. "Our drivers are dedicated to transporting the kids safely back and forth from their homes to school. They love their jobs and want to keep working but can't because they've been mistreated. They've got to take a stand for what's right."
Biddinger said the union's allegations are without merit and the company is committed to the collective bargaining process.
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A statement from First Student said the company has been in constant communication with the union and agreed to the union's request to meet for bargaining every evening this week. The statement said the union agreed not to strike during this week's bargaining sessions.
"The union's decision to picket outside our location this morning was unexpected and disappointing," the statement said.
Crowe said in a text message that the union only committed to not strike if all demands were met.
First Student said 20 bus drivers have committed to working this week, and the district will inform families which routes will be running.
The company said its goal is to avoid disruptions in service, and it said it hopes the union will collaborate on a solution with the best possible outcome for the drivers, students and community.
Dalton Public Schools bus driver Tyler Minchew said he doesn't like how bus drivers are treated by management. Management picks favorites, treats people unfairly and pick favorites, he said by phone.
Dalton Public Schools bus drivers work a split shift. They start at 5 a.m. and work until 8:30 a.m. and then come back and work from about 1:20 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Minchew said he is one of the drivers whose summer work was canceled because he was negotiating for the union this spring.
"After the last negotiating session didn't go their way," he said, "the very next day they canceled it. That's my summer work that gets me through the summer."
Minchew said he's been a driver for nine years.
As part of his statement, Scott encouraged carpooling and said he expected increased traffic at schools as the 3,700 students who ride the bus daily make their way to school.
"We ask parents to have patience as our staff work to safely and efficiently unload and load students at our schools," he said.
Contact Andrew Wilkins at awilkins@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6659.