In February 2013 the workers voted overwhelmingly to form a union with the Teamsters but Durham refused to recognise the result. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) – who conducted and certified the ballot – sued Durham for violating federal labor law. In June 2016, a ruling by the US court of appeals in favour of the NLRB finally forced Durham to recognise the workers’ choice and begin bargaining with the workers.
The CBA with Durham – a subsidiary of National Express – contains an average wage increase of 20 percent for drivers, adds four paid holidays by the third and final year of the contract and a ratification bonus, and commits the company to 75 percent coverage for health care costs for members and their families.
Kim McLaughlin, a Durham driver for nine years, said: "This contract means a major improvement in quality of life for me and my family.
“We finally have our rights protected by a legally binding union contract and a due process procedure so the company cannot arbitrarily discriminate against us. I am proud to be a Durham driver with Teamster power on my side."
Rick Middleton, international chairman of the national school bus and transit bus drivers’ campaign, commented that, without the protection of a union contract, school bus workers may fear discipline or termination for standing up to an employer over safety concerns.
He added that there was no doubt that the best way for school bus workers to protect children and hold their employers accountable to safety was through a Teamster contract.
An ITF delegation visited Santa Rosa in April 2013 to show solidarity with the Durham drivers and monitors. The ITF and its unions have also used National Express annual general meetings in the UK to ramp up public pressure on the company.
Read more about the court of appeals ruling.
Read more about the ITF protests at the National Express 2016 AGM.
Visit www.driveupstandards.org to find out about the Teamsters' Drive Up Standards campaign to improve safety, service and work standards in the privatised school bus and transit industry.
