Two days into a wildcat walkout against the union they claim has misrepresented their interests, the drivers and monitors serving the St. Louis Public Schools have announced that they will return to their bus routes this morning.
School bus
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports:
"We're going to try to get back to work tomorrow morning and bite the bullet on this until we can get a new union certification," said Andre LaGrand, a spokesman for the striking drivers.
The drivers walked out Monday after formally asking the National Labor Relations Board to end their association with School Transportation and Allied Workers' Laborers Local 509. According to the drivers, the union signed off on a 90-day contract extension without their approval.
LaGrand said the drivers agreed to work until the membership can take a formal vote severing their ties with Local 509, an affiliate of the Laborers' International Union of North America. That vote could occur within 45 days.
A representative for Laborers' International, Stephen Folz, said the union would continue to act on behalf of the drivers and monitors. "We're going to fulfill our obligation and we'll be here to serve our members until the majority proves they don't want us," said Folz.
First Student, the private bus company that employs the district's 860 drivers and monitors, welcomed the news of the impending end of the strike
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