012403 Drivers to stay with Teamsters after all

012403 Drivers to stay with Teamsters after all

BY FELIX CARROLL

"Will they do what they say? I don't know. But it's the first time I've been with Local 456 where they've actually been behind us - and it was actually nice to hear."

- STAN REBACKOFF, SHOP STEWARD

Times and tempers sure have changed.

Last fall, angry union leaders escorted Bedford Central's wildcat strike bus drivers from the union hall in Elmsford. This week, the drivers were escorted into the hall.

The drivers, who sought successfully to severe their ties. with Teamsters Local 456, now plan to start fresh with the very same union, which has made assurances to faithfully negotiate on the drivers' behalf a new contract with Baumann & Sons Buses Inc., which provides service for Bedford Central School District.

What happened?

There's been a changing of the guard at the Local, which earlier this month, amidst unrelated accusations of financial mismanagement and nepotism, was taken over by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.

"There's new people over there now, and we told them how unhappy we were," said Stan Rebackoff, the bus drivers shop steward and spokesman. "They told us they would stand by us, they would back us to the hilt. They are very convincing. Will they do what they say? I don't know. But its the first time I've been with Local 456 where they've actually been behind us - and it was actually nice to hear."

Before the takeover of Local 456, the local drivers planned to start their own union. They still have that option.

The National Labor Relations Board sent word Tuesday night that the drivers won their case to decertify their contract with Local 456. The board also ruled that the contract signed last fall by Baumann and Local 456 - without the consent of the drivers - was invalid.

"But with International in there cleaning up the mess of the Local," said Mr. Rebackoff,

"that makes us stronger. We are really in a no-lose situation."

Members of the International Teamsters met with the local drivers

Wednesday at the bus yard off Norm Avenue in Bedford Hills to assure the drivers the union would stand by them. The drivers were assured they would have a seat at the table once contract negotiations begin again with Baumann.

"Let's face it," said Mr. Rebackoff, "International has all the money. We'd go broke with the lawyers."

Mr. Rebackoff said the drivers will be sending a letter to the labor board withdrawing the decertification.

The drivers led a wildcat strike Sept. 26 and 27, leaving thousands of Bedford Central students to find their own, transportation to school. :After the strike, the drivers were shut out by Teamsters in subsequent contract negotiations, with Baumann. In October, by a 62-12 vote, school bus drivers, mechanics and monitors rejected a tentative contract made between Local 456 and Baumann.

The workers then petitioned the National Labor Relations Board in Manhattan to sever their ties with the union, whom they alleged failed to negotiate on their best behalf since before their contract expired June 30.

Roy Barnes, an attorney for the union who did the bargaining on the workers' behalf - but without the workers' permission - referred to the drivers leading the strike as a "small group of malcontents."

Mr. Barnes has since resigned after being asked to do so by international. The International Teamsters took over the local on Jan. 7 after a 13 month investigation by the Independent Review Board, a government-empowered panel that investigates fraud charges within the Teamsters. Among the charges, the board accuses Bernard Doyle and other officers of the local, as well as its executive board, of inappropriate management of the local's funds.

Teamster troubles aside, the Bedford drivers have major problems with Baumann. The workers said they rejected a tentative contract in the fall between union officials and the bus company because it was not much different from an offer the drivers rejected before striking.

Proposed salary increases would have remained the same, only rather than bus drivers reaching the proposed maximum hourly wage of $19.27 in five years, drivers could reach it in four years. The same schedule would go for van drivers and monitors, whose maximum hourly wage is lower than bus drivers.

Baumann also agreed to increase vacation time. Under the proposed contract, once the drivers and monitors had four years of service they would have received two extra vacation days; once they had five years of service they would have received another two days. A $10,000 life insurance policy would also have been part of the contract. The drivers have no such policy now.

In addition, Baumann would have given drivers a paid holiday two years into the contract and another holiday in the third year. Employees on the payroll prior to June 30 would have received service bonuses on Christmas amounting to a combined $550 by 2006. A health plan, sponsored by Local 456, was offered that had a lower co-pay than the coverage offered by Baumann, but the coverage was not as comprehensive as the Baumann plan. Under the Baumann health coverage plan, drivers on the family plan currently pay 68 percent of the cost, which amounts to about $6,500 a year. Most of theworkers earn only about $20,000 a year.

The drivers said the offer still included no sick days. And salaries remained a stumbling point.

Mr. Rebackoff said contract negotiations could begin again within the next few weeks.