Following a 48-6 victory in a May 13 union election, 62 workers at Student Transportation of America in Lake Oswego are joining Teamsters Local 206.
The company, doing business as STA of Oregon, provides school buses and operators for over 300 school districts around the country. Since 2015, they have held a contract to provide transportation to and from school, athletic events, and field trips for the nearly 7,000 students who attend the 10 elementary, junior high, and high schools in the Lake Oswego school district. This bargaining unit covers the drivers at STA.
“Our members are the first faces kids see at the beginning of the school day, making them an instrumental part of the education system,” said Teamsters national office representative Lena Melentijevic.
Michael Pettis, a union representative from Teamsters Local 206, said Lake Oswego school bus drivers have to navigate cramped conditions taking their buses in and out of the “bus barn,” and need to be available in both the mornings for pickups and afternoons for dropoffs despite only getting paid for part-time hours. Because of these unique needs, they reached out to the Teamsters to help them win stronger workplace protections.
Pettis and the bus drivers are preparing for their first bargaining session now. If successful, they would join 35 other STA shops nationwide that have organized with the Teamsters and won their first union contract.
