Pickerington school bus transportation in limbo

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (WCMH) -- Every seat was filled at the Pickerington Local Board of Education meeting on Monday and almost all of them were bus drivers who had just voted to strike.

Pickerington’s bus drivers’ union has been negotiating all summer but still has not reached an agreement. So just days before kids return to class on Thursday, Aug. 14, the union authorized a strike.

But the strike hasn’t started yet and there is time for an agreement to be made.

Colleen Stockert, a bus driver for the district and a union rep, said the drivers’ employer, Petermann Bus, is ignoring the union’s request for longevity pay and better health insurance. Pickerington Schools currently contracts Petermann Bus for students’ transportation.

“We want to negotiate fairly,” Stockert said. “We're not even asking for that much. Not a lot of people want to be a bus driver. We love what we do. It's a hard job, but we want to be treated fairly. That's all. That’s all we ask.”

Stockert spoke in front of the school board on Monday, urging members to help the bus drivers in their negotiations.

If nothing is done over the next few days, Stockert said a strike is inevitable.

“We worked all summer long and it expires at midnight on Aug. 13, so Aug. 14 at midnight, we’re on strike,” she said. “So we won't be transporting kids to school on Aug. 14.”

Pickerington superintendent Dr. Charles Smialek said negotiations between the union and Petermann are continuing Tuesday morning.

“We’re trying to make sure that we can come up with the most balanced approach,” Smialek said. “Again, understanding the bus drivers’ needs, respecting their position, knowing the value they add to our school district, and also understanding that we are accountable to our taxpayers and we have a bottom line.”

With some Pickerington students starting school as early as Thursday, Smialek wants parents to know that contingency plans are being made and school will not be cancelled even if there is a bus driver strike.

“We understand that school starts on Thursday, but we continue to believe in the negotiating process,” Smialek said. “We have folks on both sides that really don't ultimately want to strike.”

The bus drivers’ union did not accept Petermann’s offer on Monday, which is when it authorized the strike. Negotiations are set to continue Tuesday and Wednesday in hopes of reaching an agreement before students are to be bussed to school Thursday.