Another Strike Looming at Seattle Schools - This Time It's the Bus Drivers

From KING-5 News last Wednesday:

About 300 school bus drivers who transport Seattle Public Schools students have authorized a strike as contract negotiations with Zūm Services continue.
Teamsters Local 174, which represents the drivers, said Tuesday the dispute centers on retirement contributions and accuses Zūm of refusing to bargain in good faith. 

No strike date has been announced.

Zūm is one of two companies that provide transportation services to SPS. If there is a strike, the drivers are striking against Zūm but for all practical purposes, SPS students and families will feel it. The other company the district contracts with is First Student but Zūm now covers a majority of routes.

The union says the drivers are seeking retirement benefits required under Washington state law and argues that funding for those benefits is already provided through the state’s pupil transportation funding system. 

House Bill 1248, which addresses pupil transportation funding, requires school district contracts with transportation providers to include sufficient funding for employee health benefits and pension contributions comparable to those available to school district employees. The law applies to transportation contracts entered into, renewed or extended after Sept. 1, 2023.

What does the district say?

A spokesperson for Seattle Public Schools said it does not expect disruption to bus service, but it is preparing a contingency plan in case. The district is in contact with Zūm through the process.

What does Zūm say?

Zūm says it is extremely close to reaching an agreement with the drivers, with only one issue remaining unresolved.

Under Zūm’s proposal, the company said contributions would go into accounts associated with individual employees, giving drivers greater flexibility, control and choice over their retirement benefits.

The company said the union is seeking to redirect those contributions to the Western Conference of Teamsters Pension Plan.

Over the summer, the company announced its expansion to operate more than 280 bus routes for the district and hired 150 additional drivers to cover 80% of the district’s routes.

According to other sources, the two parties involved will come back to the bargaining table by October 1.

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