No deal as school bus drivers pact ends
The city of Boston's contract with its 800 school bus drivers expired yesterday as the sides failed to reach an agreement at a last-minute meeting at City Hall.
Without a deal, the threat of a strike, which could affect thousands of Boston schoolchildren if it is timed to coincide with the start of the school year, looms over the summer.
Leaders of the bus drivers union, United Steelworkers of America Local 8751, declared on the union's website yesterday that they had proposed a "limited extension" to the current contract. A city official said the union had set a deadline of Sept. 3 for agreement. Students report back to school the next day.
"The union has agreed to staff the routes tomorrow, and contract talks are continuing," said Nicol Jones, a spokeswoman for First Student, the private contractor that runs the city's school buses.
Union leaders did not respond to phone messages and an e-mail seeking comment.
Although the contract is between the drivers and First Student, the city is closely involved in negotiations.
The union and the firm did agree yesterday to hold three more negotiating sessions this month. On its website, the union said in a letter to First Student that it had called for the extension to allow for such negotiation.
"The intent is to allow time to reach an agreement well prior to the 'start up' of the 2008-2009 school year and spare the tremendous hardship to the students and parents of Boston . . . associated with a strike," the statement read.
However, a city official negotiations and speaking on condition of anonymity suggested the extension was intended to carry the threat of a strike into the regular school year, when it would have greater impact. Even without a contract, transportation to summer school and to a city-run camp would not be affected.
City officials say First Student has offered bus drivers a 7.5 percent raise phased in over the three-year contract, similar to what other unions had received. The drivers currently make $21.07 an hour. In communications to its members, the union contends the benefit of wage increases would be limited without an increase in minimum hours for drivers.
John C. Drake can be reached at jdrake@globe.com.
