Durham, Teamsters Negotiate on School Bus Driver Salaries

A Durham School Services spokesman said Wednesday the company is offering school bus drivers a 3 percent raise in response to their request for a 12 percent raise, ABC News 4 reported. 

During a Wednesday press conference, Chairman John Elliot said the Teamster 509 employees initial request for a $1.50 increase to hourly pay and the current request for a $1 increase — or 8 percent increase — to hourly pay is "beyond reason." The 3 percent raise would increase hourly pay by 45 cents.

School bus drivers in Dorchester County School District Two, Charleston County School District and Beaufort County School District, who are employed by the private company Durham, are unionized and have all voted to authorize a strike should negotiations stall or sour. 

ABC News 4 reported negotiations between the Teamsters and Durham began in July, with more than 15 meetings between the union and the company. Durham officials told reporters Wednesday they have never had a strike but negotiations had been pushed to the "brink." 

Click here to read more about Wednesday's press conference.

In response to Durham's press conference Wednesday, Teamsters 509 released this statement:

Durham School Services initially told us they did not want to negotiate this contract through the media. We have honored their request despite the fact that they have not done the same. We are not on strike. We have been in bargaining this week. We will be in bargaining again tomorrow. We still hope to reach an agreement with the company that improves safety and provides the drivers and monitors with dignity and respect. We will keep everyone posted after bargaining concludes.

If a school bus strike does occur, school districts have said they might not have notice but will keep special needs children transportation rolling. They've asked parents to be ready with an alternate mode of transportation should a strike be called. 

Last week, the state Board of Education authorized the use of out-of-state bus drivers who are certified outside of South Carolina in order to ease transportation burdens. Durham has also released employment ads seeking additional drivers.