Schools Chancellor Joel Klein temporarily averted a yellow school bus strike early next week after persuading the head of the union representing drivers and matrons last night to agree to a 48-hour “cooling off period.”
Klein’s intervention ended a tumultuous day in which union chief Sal Battaglia ordered a citywide strike for Monday because the school bus owners refused to offer raises for some 3,000 bus attendants.
Klein spokesman David Chai issued a statement saying Battaglia agreed to hold off on job actions on Monday or Tuesday after speaking with the chancellor. He said the “48-hour cooling-off period” would serve “the children’s best interest” while coming up with a good-faith effort to settle the labor impasse.
Because the bus drivers and attendants work for the bus companies and not directly for the city, they can go on strike without facing severe financial penalties that teachers and other municipal employees face under state law.
Earlier yesterday, Battaglia stormed out of contract talks and called for a citywide strike for Monday that would have potentially stranded 170,000 students – unless the bus companies and city put up more money for raises.
“If they want a strike, they’ll get a strike,” said a visibly shaken Battaglia, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1181, as he walked out of a meeting at JFK Airport’s Ramada hotel.
Talks broke down over pay for the 2,800 attendants who monitor students on the buses. The bus companies has refused to offer any salary hike.