USW Local 8751 is serving notice to the public that the British monopoly First Student, Inc. – which the City of Boston awarded a no-bid $343 million management contract with a $6 million bonus – is holding the children, parents and bus drivers of the Boston Public Schools hostage to its own corporate greed. With its labor agreement with 800 bus drivers expired on June 30, 2008, First Student has engaged in bad faith bargaining with the drivers, who have provided quality transportation for desegrated education to the students and parents of Boston since 1974. Instead of offering just and equitable wage and benefit increases to the workers who provide the service, super-profitable First Student has demanded concessions and cutbacks from a workforce already reeling from the economic crisis and cost of living in the Boston area.

Take Action Now to support the hard working school bus drivers of Boston’s communities. The City’s vendor agreement gives it the power to enforce “harmonious labor relations”. The City must force First Student to the table in good faith to avert the pending crisis.