Bus Strike Leaves Students, Parents Stranded

Drivers from the company that provides busing to the Rockville Centre, Hicksville, Freeport and Baldwin school districts went on strike Monday morning, leaving thousands of parents trying to figure out how to get their children to school.

Baumann & Sons Buses Inc., a Ronkonkoma-based company, provides the transportation for both districts. According to Newsday, the company and the union, TWU Local 252, have been in negotiations for a long time. The sticking point is apparently drivers wanting to be paid on snow days and school holidays that fall within Monday through Friday.

There was not much notification given for the strike. Parents in the Rockville Centre School District received a robo-call Sunday evening informing them that their would likely be a strike Monday morning, and then a second call early Monday morning confirming it. The district told parents to make alternate plans to get their children to school.

In Freeport, the district opened schools earlier so parents could drop of their children before work. The buildings were also being kept open later.

In addition to the public schools, the strike also affected students from those districts who attend private schools, like Kellenberg Memorial High School.

Photo: Patch