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Bus Driivers Feb 1 leaflet link

Feb 1 Solidarity Day Rally
Boston School Bus Drivers

Reinstate the Fired Leaders
Saturday, February 1, 2014   1 PM
Freeport Bus Yard

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Demonstration and Labor Movement Channel

Go to bostonschoolbus5.org for updates and information.
For more information: tinyurl.com/kyo9hys

REINSTATE THE FIRED LEADERS!
Say NO to Veolia/City Union Busting!


Labor and the Community: Let’s Unite to drive Union Busting Out of Boston!
Join “Solidarity Day” with the “Boston School Bus Union 5” and Local 8751

Go to bostonschoolbus5.org for updates and information. For more information: tinyurl.com/kyo9hys

Gather at corner of Dorchester Ave. & Hoyt St. -- Outside Veolia Corporation

UNITED STEELWORKERS INTERNATIONAL/LOCAL 8751 SAY:

ALL OUT!  REINSTATE THE FIRED LEADERS! Say NO to Veolia/City Union Busting!


Previous Rallies and Info

SAT NOV 9 1 PM

SOLIDARITY DAY

Labor and the Community: Let’s Unite to drive Union Busting Out of Boston!

Join “Solidarity Day” with the “Boston School Bus Union 5” and Local 8751

Can't come to Boston? Plan a solidarity action at a Veolia operation near you, and email your plans to schoolbus5@teamsolidarity.org . Send a solidarity letter on your organization's stationery to  schoolbus5@teamsolidarity.org

Download Flyer

Download Poster

Download City Councilor Yancey's order for a City Council Hearing on Veolia's labor practices 

                For nearly 40 years, the Boston School Bus Drivers, hard working women and men from our communities , have proudly provided safe, on time, professional service to the students and parents.   They are parents and grandparents of students themselves.  The overwhelming majority are from Boston’s communities of color, African American, Latin@ and immigrants from Haiti, Cape Verde and Vietnam.  This Union worked hard against Company/City racism and to assure that the workforce reflects the diversity of Boston.  USW Local 8751 has an exemplary record of fighting and winning some of the best wages, benefits, and dignified working conditions for its members, as well as providing rock solid advocacy.

                Equally important is the fact that throughout it’s over 38 year history Local 8751 has stood in solidarity with Labor and Community struggles for Justice throughout the City, the region, the nation and the globe.  They have marched, rallied, picketed in support of NYC School bus workers, Verizon telephone workers, postal workers, Teamster dispatchers, Union Painters, Columbian Coke-a-Cola workers, and in virtually every labor struggle of import since the union’s formation. They aided workers to organize into unions from Eastern Bus to Boston taxi drivers and Hotel workers.  From day one, the union has fought alongside the community for Equal, Quality Education and against efforts to re-segregate the schools. The bus drivers stood firm in fighting against school closings and cutbacks and for Safety for the Children.  The Union busters think they can destroy this union.  WE WON’T LET THEM!

                On June 18, 2013 Veolia, a global corporate giant known for anti-people, anti-union practices, signed an agreement to honor USW 8751’s contract. Since July 1, they have illegally violated nearly every section and sought to overturn 35 years of collective bargaining progress. There are massive and chronic payroll shortages; overcrowded and untimely routes which sacrifice safe, on time transportation; across the board failure to provide correct benefits; and a general refusal to abide by the terms and conditions of the contract. Nearly 100 individual and class action grievances have been filed. In early September, the Union filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board.  Still this arrogant company refused to honor the contract.

                On Oct 8, the drivers reported to work and requested a meeting with Veolia to demand that Veolia honor their contract. This was a protected, unfair labor practice activity.  Despite the fact that Veolia’s top brass and the top officers of BPS were in the yards from 4:30 AM on, the company refused.  Instead, at 11:00 am Veolia initiated an illegal Lock Out of the drivers, a violation of the contract and federal law. There never was a wild-cat strike on Oct 8, nor any threat of one since.  The fear mongering, phony panic forced upon Boston’s parents, orchestrated by the Mayor and BPS, is irresponsible and designed to drive a wedge between the union and the community.  They will fail.

                On Oct. 9, Veolia suspended Vice President, Pension Administrator and key benefits advocate Steven Gillis and Chair of the Grievance Committee and local founder Stevan Kirschbaum.  Within days, they also suspended Recording Secretary and Chief Steward Andre Francois; 3 time former Local President and Steward Garry Murchison; and Steward and Local founding member Richard Lynch.  The discriminatory targeting of these particular leaders represents a calculated effort on the part of Veolia and Mayor Menino to break the organizational backbone and infrastructure of the union.  On November 1, Gillis and Kirschbaum were fired. 

                For decades this union has stood with us, Labor and the Community.  Now it is time for us to stand with them!  An Injury to One is and Injury to all!

All out for Solidarity Day Nov. 9th. 

Say NO to Veolia/City Union busting.  

Hands off the 5! 

Reinstate Gillis and Kirschbaum immediately!

Go to bostonschoolbus5.org 
for updates and information.
For more information: 
tinyurl.com/kyo9hys

How you can support the Boston School Bus Union 5:

1. Contact: 

  • Veolia General Manager Alex Roman III: 617-780-4840; alexander.roman@veoliatransdev.com
  • Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino: 617.635.4500, mayor@cityofboston.gov, Fax 617.635.2851
  • and John McDonough, Interim Superintendent of the Boston Public Schools 617-635-9050, superintendent@bostonpublicschools.org, fax 617-635-9059

Tell them “Honor the School Bus Drivers Contract! Hand off Local 8751 leaders!”

Send copies to the Committee to Defend the School Bus Union 5  at schoolbus5@teamsolidarity.org

2. Hold a solidarity activity, if possible at a Veolia location near you, or.

Come to the Boston SOLIDARITY DAY Rally outside Veolia’s corporate offices on November 9, 1 PM, Dorchester Ave and Hoyt St., Dorchester, MA

3. Send solidarity letters and resolutions to the Committee to Defend the School Bus Union 5 at schoolbus5@teamsolidarity.org

4. Send your endorsement of the Committee to Defend the School Bus Union 5 to schoolbus5@teamsolidarity.org..

5.  Donate to the support fund. (account being set up.. Go to bostonschoolbus5.org or find Team Solidarity on facebook at tinyurl.com/d5tntcg for more info)

 


 

OCT 30TH STATEMENT BY TEAM SOLIDARITY OF THE BOSTON SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS UNION

Round 3 - Demonstrate to Defend the School Bus Union 5! Say NO to Veolia Union Busting!  

All Out!  Emergency Rally!

Stand with the Boston School Bus Drivers!

Stop the Terminations of the "School Bus Union 5"!

Rally:  Thursday, Oct. 31st

3 PM – on. 

(Come immediately after work.  The Rally will last and grow into the evening.)

Veolia Transportation general offices

35 Freeport Way, Dorchester

(one block from Dorchester Ave. off Freeport St., behind the school bus yard)

Boston School Bus Drivers Picture

On Monday, October 28, a magnificient show of strength and solidarity on the part of United Steelworkers Local 8751, the Boston School Bus Drivers Union, along with parents and community supporters assembled outside of the Veolia Headquarters. It was the Battle of Freeport, round two.

Due to the powerful showing of over 250 bus drivers and supporters, Veolia management held back from disciplining any of the School Bus Union 5. Management and the 5 will be back in Freeport on Thursday, October 31, for another round of meetings which could again lead to the termination of leaders from the School Bus 5. Only through fierce solidarity have any victories been won, and last night we were told that in the room were the case was being heard, they lawyers from the Veolia could hear every word of our rally and were intimidated by all the support that continued into the evening.

Let's show them that when it comes to justice for drivers and safety for children, we mean business! We need all hands on deck to come back out and this time, to bring two or threee community members, friends, and allies with you. This is not just a struggle for workers rights, it is a struggle against the resegregation of Boston schools, and a struggle to demand equal quality education.

Ways to Get Involved

 1) Contact:   Veolia General Manager Alex Roman III (617) 780-4840                                                   alexander.roman@veoliatransdev.com

Mayor Thomas M. Menino (617) 635-4500 mayor@cityofboston.gov

Interim Superintendent John McDonough (617) 635-9050 superintendent@cityofboston.gov

            Tell them: “Honor the School Bus Drivers Contract! Hands off Local 8751 leaders!”

2) Come to the next Organizing Meeting – Wednesday, October 30, 2013 at 10:30 A.M. at Action Center, 284 Amory St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 (near Stonybrook on Orange Line)

3) Come to a rally outside of the Veolia Headquarters – 35 Freeport Way, Dorchester, MA – on Thursday, October 31st.at 3 PM!

La lucha Sigue! I believe that we will win!

The Committee to Defend the Boston School Bus Union 5


OCT 28TH STATEMENT BY TEAM SOLIDARITY OF THE BOSTON SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS UNION

All Out! Emergency Rally!
Stand with the Boston School Bus Drivers!
Stop the Terminations of the "School Bus Union 5"!
Rally: Monday, Oct. 28th
1:30 PM – on.
(Come immediately after work. The Rally will last and grow into the
evening.)
Veolia Transportation general offices

35 Freeport Way, Dorchester

(one block from Dorchester Ave. off Freeport St., behind the school
bus yard)

Stand in Solidarity with USW Local 8751, the Boston School Bus
Drivers’ Union, in its struggle to stop the union-busting
corporation Veolia Transportation in its illegal attack on the
union’s members, leadership and contract.

On Monday, Oct. 28th, Veolia has planned a disciplinary hearing,
threatening to terminate 5 of USW Local 8751’s elected officers.
Join the protest at Veolia in Dorchester from 1:30 PM on. If you’re
working, come immediately after work to demand, “Veolia: Hands Off
the School Bus Union 5!” - Grievance Chair Steve Kirschbaum,
Recording Secretary Andre Francois, Vice President Steve Gillis,
Steward Garry Murchison and Steward Rick Lynch.

Since day one of taking over the Boston school bus management
contract on July 1, 2013, Veolia has committed numerous Unfair Labor
Practices, violated nearly every term and condition of the drivers’
employment contract, and engaged in actions designed to steal
literally millions of dollars from drivers’ paychecks. In the
process, Veolia has sacrificed student safety on the altar of profit,
among other things creating routes designed by GPS-based software that
result in massive lateness to school and to home, and refusing to pay
drivers for all their time worked.

On October 8th, when drivers engaged in a legally protected protest
of Veolia’s unfair labor practices, Veolia wrongly called the police
and forcibly removed the drivers, illegally locking the gates and
refusing to let the drivers back in to work. Boston Mayor Menino and
Veolia then targeted 5 officers of Local 8751 for termination, which
disciplinary hearing is scheduled for Monday, October 28th.

Boston School Bus Drivers Union Local 8751 exemplifies what a labor
union should be. Not only has its members been successful in winning
living wages, benefits and unprecedented contract language, This local
is willing to extend real solidarity to other workers whenever
possible. This union has fought racism, sexism, anti-gay bigotry,
every war since the 1970's and practiced solidarity with all workers
struggles inside and outside of union organizations.

This union-busting action by Veolia Transportation is outrageous.
Solidarity is not a crime. Standing up with the members’ for their
rights is not a crime. All of labor needs to stand up and say, “We
will join ranks to ensure that Veolia’s crime will not succeed, in
Boston or any of its world-wide operations.”

Veolia: “Hands Off the Boston School Bus Union 5!”

Stop the attacks on USW Local 8751!


 

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