Putting brakes on bus dispute

A settlement could come as soon as this week in a dispute over which union should represent bus drivers in Community Unit District 300, a labor official said Wednesday.

The Illinois Education Association and the Teamsters are both trying to represent the bus drivers.

Both unions are engaged in talks with the drivers' employer, Durham School Services, and could settle the matter this week, the labor official said.

"It could come before Monday," said Joe Barker, director of region 13 for the National Labor Relations Board.

Proposals on the table would allow drivers to vote on their union representation, perhaps after the end of the school year, Barker said.

The teachers union confirmed it is involved in settlement talks. Durham and the Teamsters could not be reached for comment on settlement discussions.

Although the labor relations board ordered an election last year, a vote has been delayed because of a grievance the Illinois Education Association filed against Durham.

The labor board will not allow an election while the grievance is pending, and bus drivers and the Teamsters have accused the Illinois Education Association of using the grievance to hold up an election -- a charge the union denies.

A possible settlement would also address the grievance, Barker said, thereby allowing an election to move forward.

A judge is scheduled to fly in from Washington, D.C., to adjudicate a hearing on the grievance scheduled for Monday, but Barker said that hearing may not take place.

"If they settle it, then we'll cancel the hearing," Barker said.

Meanwhile, the Illinois Education Association says it will hold a rally in support of bus drivers Monday ahead of the Community Unit District 300's school board meeting later that night.

The Illinois Education Association, which represents District 300 teachers, said state union President Ken Swanson is planning to address drivers at the rally.

District 300 voted last summer to privatize its bus service and hire Durham.

Before Durham was hired, the Illinois Education Association represented District 300 bus drivers.