Cumberland bus drivers picket over stalled contract talks

CUMBERLAND – A planned rally by union Durham School Services bus employees outside Cumberland High School Thursday afternoon drew a crowd of about 40-45 picketers.

The group carried signs calling on Durham officials to “come to the table,” while highlighting the lack of progress toward a new contract between the company and the new United Food and Commercial Works (UFCW) Local 328 bargaining unit representing local Durham drivers and bus monitors.

The union members also complained that Durham has canceled most of the planned meetings between the sides without progress toward a new contract.

While addressing the gathering before it headed down to the sidewalk along Mendon Road, Domenic Pontarelli, secretary treasurer of UFCW Local 328, said issues such as compensation and even sick leave under the Coronavirus crisis, remain unresolved.

“They are not dealing with negotiations whatsoever, all they do is cancel negotiations,” Pontarelli said of the company.

“What do we say about that" We need them to sit at the table, we’re coming to the beginning of school with no answers on anything. Not even a contract,” Pontarelli said.

Patricia St. Pierre, a bus driver trainer for Durham and negotiating committee member, said the union has been doing its part to move the talks forward but all to no avail.

“We’ve been trying to meet them but once again, they’ve canceled on us,” St. Pierre said.

The sides did hold a meeting on safety on Thursday but St. Pierre said “basically nothing really got done.

“They have no clue what they are doing. We need answers. Like I said, we are fighting for everyone here,” St. Pierre said.

“We want to go back to work with a safe plan for everyone, including the students, and the company does not really have any answers for any of us,” she said.

The union members noted that Durham indicated during the session that students will not be given temperature checks before entering a bus under its current reopening plan, and as a result an infected student could pose a risk to everyone on the bus before arriving a local school. The company also has not disclosed what cleaning products it plans to use to clean buses after they are used each day.

“So that’s why we’re all here today. We just want to make sure we go back safely, the children are safe, the

Photos by Joseph B. Nadeau Bus drivers and monitors pickted outside of Cumberland High School on Thursday protesting the lack of progress in talks with Durham School Services, Cumberland’s busing contractor.

Domenic Pontarelli, secretary treasurer of Local 328, called on Durham to hold contract talks with the union.