Bronx and city school bus drivers voted Tuesday to authorize a strike if a contract deal is not made by the June 30 deadline.
Thousands of students could be affected by a disruption in transportation this summer. A spokesperson for the school bus union says the main sticking points in negotiations are health benefits, wages and pensions. Bus company managers want workers to pay a 1.5 percent health premium, even though drivers currently do not pay any premium.
Meanwhile, bus drivers say their union?s executive board is corrupt and shouldn?t be negotiating. The drivers are hoping the international union will take over at the bargaining table. However, the international union is refusing to take over because board members have not been found guilty of any wrongdoing.
Related Information:Bronx school bus drivers call for new leadership during contract talks