Day of Solidarity in Support of Boston School Bus Drivers Union Fighting Union Busting & Firing of School Bus Driver Leaders By VEOLIA TRANSPORTATION Sat, 02/01/2014 - 1:00pm Veolia Bus Yard and Corporate Offices Hoyt and Dorchester Street, Dorchester, MA Sponsored by the United Steelworkers International, USW 8751 and endorsed by the Mass AFL-CIO, Greater Boston Labor Council, Coalition for Equal Quality Education, City Councilor Charles Yancey, Chuck Turner, Charles Clemons, Founder TOUCH 106.1 Radio and a broad coalition of Labor and Community. Lets Drive Veolias Union Busting Out ot Boston ! Despite signing an agreement to honor all terms and conditions of the USW 8751 contract on June 18, 2013, since Veolia took over management of the Boston School Bus transportation on July 1, 2013 they blatantly and systematically violated nearly every article regarding wages, benefits and working conditions and repudiated the established grievance and arbitration procedures. From July to October over 175 individual and class action grievances were filed. In September the Steelworkers filed 18 Unfair Labor Practices charges with the National Labor Relations Board. On October 7th the company attempted to force the drivers to fill out new hire applications. The members also knew that due to the Federal Government shutdown at the time they had no redress available. This was the straw that broke the camel’s back. On the morning of October 8th the drivers reported to work and demanded a meeting with Veolia, whose top management as well as BPS officials were onsite at the bus yards, concerning their total failure to honor the contract. They refused for hours, then at 11:00 am locked the gates and evicted the drivers under threat of arrest for trespassing. The workers request for a meeting is protected concerted union activity and the company’s lockout was not only a violation of the contract but of federal law. There never was a wild cat strike. When Boston City Council called a hearing to investigate the events of October the 8th Veolia, the Administration and Boston Public School officials boycotted. The City Council has vowed to continue the investigation. Veolia in a clear attack on the organizational backbone of the union singled out the four leaders for firing. They have been out since the first week of November.
Posted on: Thu, 30 Jan 2014 04:06:17 +0000
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