‘Sick out’ participation wanes on third day

DeKalb County school bus drivers mostly returned to work Monday, the expected third day of a sickout that so far has resulted in at least seven drivers being fired. It was organized to call attention to drivers’ complaints about issues including pay and retirement benefits.

Monday morning, 63 of the 908 full-time and substitute drivers were no-shows, an absence rate about 6 percent. All bus routes were complete by 9 a.m. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution received a copy of the district’s transportation absences through a district source.

Thursday, the sickout’s first day, 383 drivers called out of work. By Friday, that number had decreased to 224. The district serves about 66,500 school bus riders on 899 routes at 17,500 bus stops daily, according to transportation department information. In recent days, City Schools of Decatur assisted the district with its bus routes.

Superintendent Steve Green said Thursday that any driver absent during the supposed three-day sickout would have to submit a doctor’s note validating the missed time. District officials said notes are not typically required for short illnesses, but the superintendent has the authority to request them.

Fired drivers said they were targeted for either promoting the sickout or being too vocal during meetings with the superintendent.

JOHN SPINK/JSPINK@AJC.COM “The sickout” amongst DeKalb bus drivers continued, but with an absence rate of only 6% after Superintendent Steve Green fired seven drivers for their roles.