Cross-posted from Union Review, here

School bus drivers with First Student in Barrie, Ontario joined Local 938 in Mississauga after more than 72 percent of the 87 drivers in the unit signed cards to become Teamsters.

“The workers heard about our local organizing and successes with other bus companies, including National Express, and approached us to become Teamsters,” said John Hull, Director of Organizing for Local 938. “They wanted better wages and to rectify seniority issues.”

The drivers became Teamsters in a fairly quick process. The local collected cards within a two-week period in February. Certification recently took place and a contract proposal meeting has already been scheduled.

“Since First Student runs charters going out of the province, they fall under federal legislation, which says once 50 percent plus one of the unit signs up, you make an application to the Board and then you are certified, whereas under provincial law, you have to get cards signed and go to an election.,” said Larry McDonald, President of Local 938. "The federal law is true democracy. Workers out there want to join a union and we are glad these workers joined the Teamsters."

Since I am working on this campaign with the Teamsters to help the thousands of workers organize, it is truly great news to hear that the Canadian brothers and sisters went in this direction.

After meeting a lot of school bus workers at the Worker Congress in Jacksonville last month, I can tell you that this is a passionate group of hard working people who simply need a voice on the job, greater respect, and better wages. They need to have affordable health care and a sense of security that their company just does not provide. The only way to accomplish these things is to form a union. One yard at a time, around the United States, Canada and even the United Kingdom, that is exactly what they're doing!