Marlboro school bus driver strike to continue on Tuesday
MARLBORO - School bus drivers in Marlboro will be on strike for a second day on Tuesday.
The drivers hit the picket lines Monday morning after their union failed to reach a deal with the bus company North Reading Transportation (NRT) on a new contract. The two sides have been negotiating better wages for drivers.
"We're just looking for a fair wage to bring us up to where we should be," said Carol Willoughby, a member of the Teamsters Local 170 negotiating team. "We're not close. We thought we were and then it just kind of fell apart."
The bus company and the Teamsters did not meet on Monday, leading to the strike continuing for a second day.
Picketers paced back and forth in front of the entrance to Marlboro High School, clogging traffic and the crosswalk.
"We're in a crosswalk," said Teamsters Local 170 business agent Ken Bergen. "We're pedestrians. Legally we have the right of way and we understand the inconvenience and we don't want to inconvenience the public, but when you're fighting for the livelihoods of how you provide for your families you're gonna do what's necessary."
It was tense when the school buses that were running broke through drivers striking at the entrance to the school. It also got tense when the mayor of Marlboro showed up.
"I think it's only a few that are really getting the others feeling guilty that they should be out, so we're hoping the good bus drivers come back to work tomorrow," said Marlboro Mayor Arthur Vigeant.
NRT, which employs the drivers, said Teamsters drivers began the year with a pay boost to $34 an hour, one of the highest bus driver wages in Massachusetts.
"They're not only not respecting their employees, but they're not giving them the fair wage that they deserve to do it," said Teamsters officer Jim Marks. "Bus drivers have to be focused all the time. They have some of the most precious cargo that we have, our kids our loved ones. We're dedicated to get it done, dedicated to be here, hopefully NRT is as well."
One big sticking point, the wage for those who drive smaller buses for children with special needs. They make $10 less per hour than those who drive the big full-size buses, not enough they say to keep up with inflation.
"You go to the grocery store, and it used to cost you 40 bucks, to pick up a few odds and ends, and all of a sudden now it's 80, 90," Willoughby said. "Come on. Pay these people a fair wage."
A statement from NRT read in part, "In preparation for the possibility of a strike, NRT has developed a comprehensive strike mitigation plan, working closely with the school district and in conjunction with the RMV, DOT, and the Department of Education, to mitigate the adverse impact the strike will have on students in Marlborough."
"This is a labor matter between the two parties that the Marlborough Public Schools has no control over," the school department said on its website.
Signs around the city warned drivers it would get ugly. It took Leslie Phelps twice as long to drive her daughter to school. Phelps said if the strike continues, she will probably just give up. "My daughter will probably stay home for a couple days just because of the hassle and the stress of everything this morning," Phelps said. "It's just not worth it for us."
"About 83% of our students attended school today. That is approximately 87% of our average daily attendance," Marlboro Superintendent Mary Murphy told WBZ-TV in an email Monday.
Going by a contingency plan posted on the district website, students who live within a mile-and-a-half of their school are now expected to walk. Those who live outside of a mile-and-a-half have to be dropped off. One student told WBZ it will take him about an hour to walk to school.
"Bus on strike, just a lot going on man," said student Jake Kenney. "I have no idea. Don't know what to think about it. It's a lot going on."
There may be a limited number of buses prioritizing areas with a high concentration of students.
"Traffic's a lot during the morning, but it's a lot more than there usually is," said student Xavier Lopez.
A similar strike was avoided in Framingham over the weekend. Westboro school bus drivers have not reached a deal yet, but they haven't decided to strike yet either.