A group of 15 school bus drivers and bus aides in Dillard, Oregon, joined Oregon School Employees Association (OSEA) Local 6732 in a unanimous 10-0 vote held June 9—the day before the school year ended.
The workers are employed by for-profit First Student, which got the contract when the Winston-Dillard School District outsourced its student transportation in mid-2013. The district, southeast of Roseburg, serves over 1,400 K-12 students in rural areas of Douglas County.
OSEA, an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers-Oregon, previously represented the workers when they were employed by the district, and fought to oppose the outsourcing. Representatives of OSEA said pay fell as much $500 a month after the outsourcing, due to cuts in hours.
