Community members and members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 284 will fill a Minneapolis School Board meeting today to demand safe, accountable student transportation.
In particular, they will ask the board to suspend awarding any new transportation contracts until additional reporting requirements are established. Local 284 and the Driving Up Standards campaign say changes are necessary to improve safety and to hold transportation giant First Student and other for-profit bus companies accountable to Minneapolis' schools and families.
The School Board meeting will start at 4 p.m. today at the district headquarters, 807 Broadway N.E., Minneapolis.
While teachers and school workers have faced pay freezes, benefit cuts and layoffs, First Student's contract with the Minneapolis Public Schools allows them to raise their price up to 5 percent each year, the group said. The bus company has consistently fought unionizing efforts among its employees.
First Student is part of a global transportation corporation based in London called First Group. Last year, the company's North American operations (primarily contracts with school districts and other public authorities) generated a profit of over $110 million but paid only $1.5 million in taxes in the United States, according to analysis done by Driving Up Standards.
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Community members and members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 284 will fill a Minneapolis School Board meeting today to demand safe, accountable student transportation.
In particular, they will ask the board to suspend awarding any new transportation contracts until additional reporting requirements are established. Local 284 and the Driving Up Standards campaign say changes are necessary to improve safety and to hold transportation giant First Student and other for-profit bus companies accountable to Minneapolis’ schools and families.
The School Board meeting will start at 4 p.m. today at the district headquarters, 807 Broadway N.E., Minneapolis.
While teachers and school workers have faced pay freezes, benefit cuts and layoffs, First Student’s contract with the Minneapolis Public Schools allows them to raise their price up to 5 percent each year, the group said. The bus company has consistently fought unionizing efforts among its employees.
First Student is part of a global transportation corporation based in London called First Group. Last year, the company’s North American operations (primarily contracts with school districts and other public authorities) generated a profit of over $110 million but paid only $1.5 million in taxes in the United States, according to analysis done by Driving Up Standards.