PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Tomas Fret, President of Local 1181 of the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU)
2:40:48
·
4 min
Tomas Fret, representing Local 1181 of the Amalgamated Transit Union, testified about the importance of maintaining Employee Protection Provisions (EPP) in school bus contracts and improving working conditions for school bus employees. He emphasized the need to address the driver shortage and make school bus work a career again.
- Strongly advocated for including EPP in all school bus contracts to ensure job security and fair wages for workers
- Warned against rebidding contracts without EPP, citing the negative consequences of a similar decision 12 years ago
- Expressed opposition to Intro 515, which would give parents personal contact information of bus drivers
- Supported Resolution 250, calling for stop arms on school buses as a critical safety measure
Tomas Fret
2:40:48
Good afternoon.
2:40:51
My name is Tomas Fred.
2:40:52
I am the president of local 1181 of the amalgamated transit union ATU.
2:40:58
Thank you, chair Joseph and chair 1, and to the members of both the city council committees and education on contracts for the opportunity to speak before you this afternoon.
2:41:09
As you know, local 1181 represents approximately 8000 school bus drivers, attendance, and mechanics, who transporting care for New York City's children each day.
2:41:20
The invaluable tireless men and women take a great deal of pride and ownership in transporting our city's children to and from school.
2:41:30
And it's on their behalf that I speak to you this afternoon.
2:41:34
We fought for the contract our members need and deserve to support themselves and their families.
2:41:40
And so that there are enough skilled school bus workers to provide safe and reliable service to New York City families.
2:41:48
Our members of trained professionals, they are passionate and dedicated.
2:41:53
Above all, They safely transport in the tent to the most precious cargo in New York City, the children.
2:42:01
We have said many times in past city council hearings, and it bears repeating this afternoon.
2:42:06
It is absolutely vital that the EPP, that is the employee protection provisions, be mandated for inclusion in all school bus contracts if contracts are rebid.
2:42:19
For those who may who may be unaware, the EPP ensures that when a bus company providing school bus service pursuant to a contract with the Department of Education stops performing his work.
2:42:32
Or some of its work for any reason, resulting in school bus workers, including dispatchers and mechanics being laid off.
2:42:39
The laid off employees receive priority in hiring with the other or new school bus companies providing such service.
2:42:47
As well as as preservation of their wages pension 401 k and benefits.
2:42:53
Local 1181 recognizes that there continues to be an intense shortage of school bus drivers.
2:43:00
But that issue will not improve on the backs of the school bus workers with rebidding, especially rebidding without the EPP.
2:43:09
The city will lose qualified and experience school bus workers.
2:43:12
Again.
2:43:13
But this time, we'll lose them in the middle of an existing and growing driver shortage.
2:43:18
The city cannot reverse the problem of recruiting and retaining enough qualified school bus workers without guaranteeing them fair wages and benefits.
2:43:28
We need to focus on making school bus work a career again.
2:43:33
We know this we were here 12 years ago.
2:43:36
At that time, the Bloomberg administration decided to eliminate the EPP from school bus contracts.
2:43:42
This decision led to a month long city wide school bus strike as we testified at the time.
2:43:49
And what most certainly materialized was that the removal of the EPP from contracts covering almost half of Kuba left the industry in a devastated state that you will still see today.
2:44:03
This industry is hurting and rebidding without the EPP will hurt the industry even more.
2:44:09
We should be taking steps to reform and fix OPT, Office of People Transportation, along with the other departments that supports his work.
2:44:17
Indeed, there's a major backlog at OPT, OPI, OSI, pets, as well as SCI.
2:44:25
We should take steps to fix what's broken and work on improving the current chances regulations within C100 and C105.
2:44:33
Fixing the long time and ongoing matters at these departments will go a long way.
2:44:38
To improving busing and transportation issues.
2:44:42
We urged the committee and this council not to allow the same mistake that was made 12 years ago and try to fix school buses and transportation by de depriving professional workers' basic employee rights.
2:44:55
Additionally, Local 1181 is strongly opposed to parents or guardians having the personal contact information of our members as it is called for intro 0515.
2:45:07
Parents and guardians should contact either the bus company and or OPT should any issues arise with the transportation for their children.
2:45:15
Loop 1181 Harbor supports resolution 0250 calling for a stop arm on each side of the bus and preventing buses from operating without them.
2:45:26
This is critically important safety measure that our members endorsed and offered their wholehearted support.
2:45:33
Thank you again, chair chair Joseph and chair 1 for allowing me to for allowing me this opportunity to speak with you today.
