Pennsylvania district's bus drivers vote to remove union
After petitioning the National Labor Relations Board and getting free legal assistance, the school bus drivers are allowed to hold a secret-ballot election to determine whether to keep Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1729 as their bargaining representative. Nearly 90% of the drivers casting ballots vote to remove the union.
MONROEVILLE, Pa. — School bus drivers for Gateway School District have voted to remove Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1729 as their bargaining representative.
The school bus drivers were allowed to conduct the vote after driver Robert Williams, who received free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys, and his coworkers petitioned the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) for a secret-ballot election four times.
Of the roughly 105 bus drivers, 102 signed the fourth petition filed with the NLRB asking for a secret-ballot election to determine whether to keep ATU as their exclusive representative.
According to the National Right to Work Foundation, ATU union officials moved to block the workers' petition, arguing that not enough time had passed for the workers to request an election. On May 8, an evidentiary hearing was held in Pittsburgh, at which Williams was represented by foundation attorneys. The NLRB last month decided to allow the election to proceed.
On June 27, 87% of the school bus drivers casting ballots voted to remove ATU from their workplace.
"As a result of the decertification victory, these bus drivers will now be free to negotiate their own terms and conditions of employment, and be rewarded on their individual merit," said Mark Mix, president of the National Right to Work Foundation.
The drivers are employed by Student Transportation of America, which took over Gateway School District's transportation service in July 2013.
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