|
|
| Today's News |
| Sports |
| Entertainment |
| Technology |
| Live Views |
| Traffic |
| Weather |
| Health |
| Business |
| Bay Area Travel |
| Columnists |
| Classifieds |
| Conferences |
| Search |
| Index |
|
| ||
|
Talks resume, strike averted for S.F. school bus drivers By Matthew Yi OF THE EXAMINER STAFF |
Sunday, November 28, 1999
|
|
|
| ||
Students won't be stranded on Dec. 1 as parties negotiateThe City's school bus drivers have called off their one-day strike planned for Wednesday and agreed to return to the negotiating table with Mayor Willie Brown as the mediator. The Laidlaw Transportation Co. and the United Transportation Union Local 1741 have been at odds with each other since the drivers' contract expired last August. After talks broke down earlier this month, the drivers voted to stage a one-day strike on Dec. 1, putting in limbo more than 10,000 San Francisco students who ride Laidlaw buses to public schools. The school district has no alternative transportation for them. "We agreed to postpone the strike indefinitely in lieu of new negotiations in the mayor's office," union President Susan Moorehead said Saturday. However, she didn't indicate whether the drivers would compromise on their demand for a guaranteed 35-hour work week. Currently, drivers are guaranteed 33 hours of work each week. "In the last couple of years, two-thirds of our workers have lost 25 percent of their pay checks because of the adjustments in the kindergarten schedules," Moorehead said. Ronn English, director of human resources for Laidlaw, said the company is "cautiously optimistic" about reaching an agreement. "Our responsibility is to the schoolchildren, and we are pleased that Mayor Brown has helped to temporarily avert a work stoppage," English said in a written statement. The mayor, contacted Saturday as he opened a campaign office in West Portal, said he's pleased that both sides are willing to come back to the table. "Even in the middle of campaigning, we stepped up and got both sides together and said, "Listen, this makes no sense. Put your guns down, do no negative actions and keep services running as it is as long as you're in mediation with me,'." Brown said. "They agreed to that on Friday. So as of Wednesday, there will be no cessation of services." |
|
Get a printer-friendly version of this article
|