Dist. 300 bus drivers want a union

Since Community Unit District 300's bus service went private last summer, the district's bus drivers have been without a union.

And because of a dispute over which union should represent the workers, some union officials and bus drivers say it could be years before the drivers have a union.

UniServ, the local arm of the Illinois Education Association, last year filed an unfair labor practice complaint against Durham School Services, the district's transportation contractor.

The complaint was filed because Durham would not negotiate with UniServ, which represented bus drivers before District 300 privatized transportation.

Some bus drivers since say UniServ has stymied their efforts to choose their own union representation and has tried to force itself on District 300 transportation workers.

"We will not have union representation forced upon us, and we feel that is what the IEA is doing to us," said Russ Harris, a bus driver who organized a Feb. 15 informational picket.

Harris and some of his co-workers say they want the Teamsters to represent them, and the Teamsters have filed a petition to represent the workers with the National Labor Relations Board.

The labor relations board last year ordered an election, but the election has been delayed until after the labor complaint UniServ filed goes to trial in May.

"We would not hold an election until this trial … is settled because that would influence the outcome of the election," said Joe Barker, director of region 13 for the National Labor Relations Board.

And union officials say it could be years before the appeals process is exhausted.

"The appeals system could put off a union election for anywhere from three to seven years," said Dominic Romanazzi, president of the Teamsters Local 330. "In the meantime, these bus drivers may remain without a union for an extended period of time."

Romanazzi and some bus drivers say they want UniServ to drop its complaint so that an election can take place.

"Pull your charge and let this proceed to an election," Harris said.

UniServ on Monday did not return repeated calls seeking comment, but region 25 director Diane Petersen has said UniServ is the rightful representative of the bus drivers.

Durham, District 300's transportation contractor, argues it cannot negotiate with workers because the National Labor Relations Board hasn't told the firm whom to bargain with.

"Right now, we're just waiting to hear from the National Labor Relations Board," Durham spokeswoman Tiffini Bloniarz said.

But Barker, of the labor relations board, says Durham has heard from the labor relations board. The board, he said, told Durham last year to bargain with UniServ.

Because Durham refuses to recognize UniServ as the legitimate union, the labor complaint is going to trial, Barker said.

"We're telling them who to bargain with," Barker said "They're not listening."

Bus drivers say they may not wait until the trial and appeals process. The drivers may strike because Durham won't negotiate with them, Harris said.

"There's a possibility of a strike action," Harris said, though he added no date has been set for any action, and the bus drivers have not yet voted on the issue.

If Durham agreed to negotiate with UniServ, the complaint would not have go to trial, and the bus drivers could have their election sooner.

A strike would mean at least 8,000 kids in District 300 would have to find some other means of transportation, union officials said.