Trending...
- Martin A. Sumichrast Joins Hawkeye Systems, Inc. as Chairman of the Board
- Spokane: Public Service Announcement
- Spokane: SPD Seek Community Assistance in Locating Missing 13-year-old
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."
More on Washingtoner
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.
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."
More on Washingtoner
- Spokane: SPD Assists Stevens County Sheriff's Office Locate a Reckless Vehicle
- Elevate Your Sneakers With Crep Protect Trek Laces
- Meet Privateer: Tucson's High-Tech Security Force Built With Paramilitary Precision
- James Richey, CEO of JouleFit, to Be Featured on the July Edition of the Longevity Leaders Project
- Dynamic Dachshund Dog Goes Global: Remember Point Launches a New Bilingual Children's Book
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.
0 Comments
Latest on Washingtoner
- Spokane Community Urged to Prepare for Inclement Weather
- Tacoma City Council Receives Positive Streets Initiative Update
- Valgar LLC Launches The Briefing Room: Education Leaders
- Spokane: SPD Respond to Several Underage Drivers on Electric Motorcycles
- New Novel WINCE Takes Unflinching Aim at American Gun Culture and Masculinity
- New Research Puts the Cost of Enterprise Decision Delay at $630 Billion a Year Across the Global 2000
- Cover Story about Matthew Cossolotto – Author of Harness Your PromisePower -- Published in July 2026 Enterprise World Magazine
- Lineus Medical Signs Partnership Agreement with DIMA MedTech to Support Expansion into Italy
- New Research: Deterministic Decompilation of Hermes Bytecode Back to Readable JavaScript
- Lionheart Holdings and KEO Energy Sign Letter of Intent for Proposed Business Combination
- Marcus Christ Announces Singles: "The Hammer Goes Click" and "You Hate Me, I Hate You"
- Fatal FOMO May be Your Last Roll of the Dice
- A human conducted an orchestra of AI models. They improvised — and chose raga
- Martin A. Sumichrast Joins Hawkeye Systems, Inc. as Chairman of the Board
- Allstream Energy Partners Returns as a Media Partner for the 2026 API Inspection & Mechanical Integrity Summit in San Antonio
- Spokane: Public Service Announcement
- Spokane: SPD Seek Community Assistance in Locating Missing 13-year-old
- PokerStars & Ladbrokes veteran buys into Finnish news media Rahapelisanomat
- Former Judge Chris Oldner Honored as Best Lawyer by "D Magazine" for 6th Straight Year
- Missouri Hemp Businesses File Federal Lawsuit Challenging HB 2641