Bus drivers at Lakota Local Schools hit the picket line Friday morning after negotiations broke down on a new contract with the district's transportation provider, Petermann.
The bus drivers union, Teamsters Local 100, and Peterman have been negotiating a contract for several months. Thursday night, drivers voted 94% in favor of the strike.
The work stoppage leaves Lakota Schools without public transportation for students until the contract dispute is resolved.
In a letter released by the district early this week, Interim Superintendent Elizabeth Lolli informed families students would have to find their own rides to school for the duration of the strike and they would not be marked absent or tardy if they couldn't.
Lolli also indicated the dispute laeding to the strike centered around safety measures that Lakota requested of Petermann.
Union members say these proposed safety measures include implementing a new camera system in buses to monitor drivers while they're on the clock.
Bus driver and union steward Jodie Gabbard told WVXU that Petermann's new system is a step too far for drivers.
"[They're] wanting to watch us all the time as we're driving, but not only watch us but be able to use that footage for termination or discipline," Gabbard said. "We already have a camera system in place with the language that we want to stick with. They're the ones [that are] wanting to change that."
Petermann responded to the strike in a statement claiming the camera system is a safety measure commonly used by school districts.
"It's worth noting that this practice is widespread across North America and is fundamentally tied to our unwavering commitment to safety," the statement reads. "We agree with Dr. Lolli, Superintendent, that employee accountability and safety are paramount when serving the students of Lakota Schools."
As drivers demonstrated outside Lakota's transportation building — which shares a campus with Woodland Elementary School and Liberty Junior High School — Friday morning, cars full of students filled the nearby streets before the start of the school day. Police and additional workers were on hand to direct the influx of cars.
Despite the inconvenience the strike may cause for families, bus driver Michelle Tracy says some parents of students who ride her bus reached out to show their support.
"It's very hard and we're getting text messages from our parents wishing us good luck and hope everything goes well, knowing that they have to get up this morning and take their kids to school. It's hard," Tracy said.
Both the union and Petermann say they will continue to work on a contract the two parties can agree to.
In the meantime, Lakota is encouraging students to carpool and says it's working with Petermann to identify drivers willing to cross the picket line. If it can find drivers, the district will prioritize providing transportation to students with disabilities.
Bus drivers on the picket line Friday morning say they're willing to strike until an agreement is reached.
