Ellington

Union bus drivers for Hinds County schools say the part-time pay for drivers isn't enough to keep food on the table.

"We've been organized over a year now, and they have not given us fair wages, yet," said bus driver Tracy Moulds, who stood in a picket crowd before the Hinds County School District building on Highway 18. "The average pay for our drivers here is $9.20. That's the starting rate, with no raise up from that, no matter how long you've been working here. And also there's no benefits, no insurance, no sick leave, no funeral pay, holidays, maternity leave—none of that. Nothing."

The job amounts to four hours of work per day, and First Student, which contracts with Hinds County for the bus drivers, does not offer benefits to part-time workers—a practice the union wants to upgrade. Teamsters Local 891 is representing the drivers.

"Everything in this economy has gone up, and the pay ought to go up too," Moulds said. "We intend to keep the fight going for days or weeks, however long it takes, but hopefully this won't take that long."

James Mason, student services director for Hinds County Schools, said the district is facing challenges with the strike. "We're waiting for the final absentee numbers to come in," Mason said. "It appears that more than half of our drivers drove and they stuck with their routes and crossed the line and are helping to take care of the children of Hinds County."

First Student employs about 100 drivers in the county, with slightly more than 50 arriving for work this morning. Limited driver participation did little to improve the situation for some parents, who remained unsure of whether or not their particular driver was a strike participant.

Union drivers say they want to work out a deal with bus contractor First Student of Ohio, as soon as possible. Pay varies from district to district, with drivers in Madison and Yazoo counties drawing different pay than those in Hinds Country.

First Student spokeswoman Bonnie Bastian said that the company's most recent offer to the union, made Oct. 14, included a pay increase of "more than 10 percent over four years."

The union is pushing for pay raises and/or benefits in Hinds, Yazoo, West Point and Madison counties. Mason said the union is merging the fight between these four county school districts in an effort to consolidate negotiations.

"For the first time they have invited all the school superintendents (of the four affected districts) to be a part of that process. Up until this point, all negotiations have been exclusively between First Student, the contract provider, and the Teamsters," Mason said, adding that the next scheduled negotiation between First Student and the Teamsters is slated for tomorrow at 9 a.m.

Hinds County officials say schools will remain open throughout the strike, but encourages families to continue making alternate plans to get their children to school during the strike. The district anticipates all routes to run this afternoon and every child to be taken home, although the district does expect delays in the Bolton and Edwards communities.

Finally, the district says First Student anticipates making an announcement about any changes in tomorrow's bus pick up schedule no later than 2 p.m. today.