Illinois McLean County Unit 5, bus drivers union to meet as outsourcing decision looms with union busting First Student in the wings

Illinois McLean County Unit 5, bus drivers union to meet as outsourcing decision looms with union busting First Student in the wings

16 hours ago  •  By Phyllis Coulter | pcoulter@pantagraph.com

http://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/education/unit-bus-drivers-union-to-meet-as-outsourcing-decision-looms/article_620d0bb2-ab76-11e1-ae13-001a4bcf887a.html

(2) Comments

NORMAL — The next contract negotiating session between McLean County Unit 5 and its bus drivers union, on Monday, is only one day before the school board is expected to decide whether to outsource the transportation service.
Adding to the tension between the two sides is an unresolved unfair-labor-practice complaint the union filed last week with the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board over the district’s consideration of hiring an outside contractor while negotiating with the union.
“Negotiations are ongoing,” said Unit 5 Superintendent Gary Niehaus on Thursday, declining to characterize talks further.
“We continue to engage in bargaining, but management is not responding to our proposals,” said Renee Nestler of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which was voted in last year to represent about 160 bus drivers and 60 bus monitors.
The two sides will meet Monday as they work toward the new union’s first contract. The next day, the school board will meet in special session at 7 p.m. at the district’s offices at 1809 W. Hovey Ave., Normal.
On the agenda will be a decision of whether to keep the busing service as is or contract with Cincinnati-based First Student Bus Transportation.
First Student’s proposed three-year contract totals $18.5 million. No comparable figures have been released for the cost of operating it in house because they would depend on the terms of the union contract, school officials said.
The question of outsourcing the service arose last fall when a shortage of bus drivers caused delays on the bus routes. Unit 5 complained of high absenteeism, and drivers and monitors complained of unpleasant working conditions.
To fill the gaps in the workforce, the district hired substitute drivers through a contract with Channahon-based Illinois Central School Bus.
In the complaint pending before the state labor board, the union wants the outsourcing vote blocked. Nestler said that board is aware of the urgency of the matter, but she doesn’t know when it will act.
“We’re waiting to hear what the labor board decides,” she said.
An investigator from the labor board is reviewing submissions from Unit 5 and AFSCME, but it is not certain if the results will be available before Tuesday, said John Brosnan, the board’s special counsel.
He said there are two options. If the charge is deemed to be unfounded, it could be dismissed. If it is upheld, an injunction could be issued to block Unit 5 from moving forward.
“An injunction basically says everybody stop what you are doing,” Brosnan said.
However, an injunction may not be issued even if the complaint were found to be true, but that is rare, he said.