SC Board of Education Authorizes Strikebreaking Bus Drivers

The State Board of Education has unanimously authorized an emergency measure to aid in student transportation in two districts with privatized school bus workforces that are threatening to strike.

On Wednesday, the board authorized the emergency use of school bus drivers who do not have the state certification should a strike occur in those districts.

If Dorchester County School District Two and Charleston County School District bus drivers strike, there could be an immediate need for 250 bus drivers — a demand that could cause canceled school days or lengthy delays for students using the bus.

The districts have contracted with private company Durham School Services to provide transportation services. Durham's employees are unionized under Teamsters 509 and authorized a strike last week and this week as negotiations with the company stalled. 

While a timeline has not been set by the union, the Board of Education released a statement Wednesday that said the strike will start on Jan. 28 if negotiations continue to stall. 

Dorchester Two spokeswoman Pat Raynor said, "Bus service should continue should a strike occur."

In the state, school bus drivers must complete 30 hours of training for certification. The State Board of Education released a statement that said, "if there is a strike, there will be an immediate need for replacement bus drivers to be brought in to operate the school buses so as to not disrupt school ... (and) due to the timing and uncertainty of the strike, there will not be enough time to certify an adequate number of new bus drivers in those areas affected without causing the cancellation of school days."

The emergency regulation will allow licensed school bus drivers from other states to drive school buses in South Carolina during this crisis. This is a limited exception to the South Carolina Department of Education Bus Driver Certificate requirement and is only available for bus drivers who are replacing striking Durham School Services drivers in those school districts that contract with Durham School Services. The regulation will only be valid for 90 days. 

The replacement driver must meet the following requirements:

1. Be properly licensed as a school bus driver from another state.
2. Possess a valid commercial driver's license with the appropriate Endorsements required by state and federal law to operate a school bus-type vehicle to qualify for issuance: Classification:  A or B Endorsement:  P and S.
3. Possess a current medical card.
4. Present a recent copy of DMV driving record from resident state.
5. Present a recent criminal background check from the state of residence.
6. Provide proof of participation in a random drug/alcohol testing program.
7. Have a minimum of five years driving experience with two years’ experience as a school bus driver.

The board estimated there will be no additional costs to the state or school districts in implementing this regulation. 

Durham School Services and Teamsters 509 are reportedly in negotiations Wednesday and Thursday, according to Dorchester County School District Two.

State Superintendent of Education released this statement Wednesday:

I encourage both sides to continue their negotiations,  and to negotiate in good faith.  But I urge the Teamsters Union not to strike, because a strike will negatively affect parents and students.  I repeat: I urge the Teamsters Union not to strike.

The Teamsters released this statement in response to the Board of Education's action:

We understand that the state is trying to make sure the buses keep running. No one wants to see a strike, and we are working very diligently over difficult issues at the bargaining table to try to prevent that.

Last week, Patch asked Gov. Nikki Haley if she would intervene in negotiations to prevent a strike. While affirming her stance that privatization of the school buses is the correct course of action, Haley said neither parties have contacted her for help in the negotiation process. 

"The privatization of school buses is good economically," Haley said. "The reason why we're lowest in the nation for unionization is because our companies know how to take care of those who take care of them, and so if these companies take care of their people, they won't have a problem."