Washingtoner - Seattle School Bus Drivers at Zūm Vote to Authorize a Strike

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SEATTLE, May 24, 2023 ~ Nearly 150 Zūm drivers and technicians, represented by Teamsters Local 174, are on the brink of a work stoppage after voting overwhelmingly to authorize a strike.

The vote was held on Sunday morning, with 95 percent of workers in attendance voting in favor of a strike. The workers are frustrated with the slow pace of contract negotiations and the refusal of Zūm to agree to basic language allowing them to honor a picket line. This is especially concerning given that the contract with the other school bus provider for the district, First Student, already set a clear standard for school bus drivers and mechanics in Seattle.

Rick Hicks, Teamsters Western Region International Vice President and Local 174 Secretary-Treasurer said: "As these negotiations have dragged on, it has become clear that Zūm made an unrealistically low bid to the Seattle School District to take this work, and they want to pass responsibility for that decision onto their workers rather than themselves. These hardworking bus drivers refuse to accept less than they deserve just to help protect Zūm's bottom line, especially when Zūm executives were the ones who made the poor business decision to underbid this contract. They can either live with that decision, or they can face a strike by their workforce."

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School bus service for SSD had previously been exclusively provided by First Student until the end of 2022 when SSD chose to award roughly half the work to California-based Zūm. The newly hired employees quickly organized with Local 174 which already represented workers at First Student and negotiations for a first contract have been ongoing since then. With the end of the school year rapidly approaching, workers used this strike vote as an ultimatum for Zūm that they were tired of working without a contract.

Teamsters Local 174 represents 8,600 working men and women in Seattle and surrounding areas since 1909.

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