Charleston County School Superintendent asks company that employs bus drivers to avoid strike

Charleston County School Superintendent Nancy McGinley is asking the company that employs the district’s bus drivers to “take whatever steps deemed necessary to avoid a strike.”

In a letter to Durham School Services CEO David Duke, McGinley wrote that she wanted bus drivers to be treated fairly, and that they deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.

“… I would hate to see you bring in replacement drivers if a fair settlement can be reached with drivers who are loyal and care about children,” she wrote.

Durham School Services employs more than 400 Charleston school bus drivers, and it hasn’t been able to reach an agreement with them on a new employment contract. The biggest hang up has been how much drivers should be paid.

The bus drivers’ union, Teamsters Local 509, agreed Tuesday in a 186-0 vote to authorize a strike if negotiations don’t result in a better deal. Meetings to talk further are scheduled for next week.

“Our students cannot afford to miss any instructional time and families should not have the continued burden of worrying about safe and consistent transportation for their children,” McGinley wrote.

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