The school district’s drivers filed a 10-day strike notice yesterday that would take effect Tuesday, April 10. That is DPS’ second day back from a spring break that begins Friday.
Union officials could not be reached for comment Thursday morning.
RELATED: Will Dayton Public Schools bus drivers strike? What we know now
Lolli said the district has offered double-digit raises to the drivers, which would take their starting pay from $13.85 per hour to roughly $15.75. That would still leave DPS far behind surrounding districts such as Mad River and Huber Heights, which pay starting drivers more than $18 per hour.
DPS Associate Superintendent Shelia Burton cautioned that comparison may not be fair, suggesting that in some cases, DPS offers more guaranteed hours and benefits.
FIRST REPORT: DPS seeks alternate transportation after bus drivers file notice to strike
Lolli would not go into detail about Dayton Public Schools’ plan to get students to school if a strike does take place, saying it was still a work in progress, and would be communicated to families when it was ready.
A few days before this school year started, DPS had not reached agreement on new contracts with any of its 11 unions. Most workers began the year school year under the terms of expired contracts, and since then, agreements have gradually been reached with all except the bus drivers. The teachers union was the only other group to threaten a strike, but no work stoppages have occurred.
Dayton’s bus drivers were on the verge of a strike during their last negotiations in 2015 before a last-minute deal was reached.
UPDATE @ 11:07 a.m. (March 29)
Dayton Public Schools Superintendent Elizabeth Lolli said Thursday she there has been “movement” with district negotiations but no agreement reached yet with bus drivers union on a new contract.
Lolli said no new negotiations are scheduled.
“We want your children in school, we’re working hard to make sure we get them there safely,” Lolli said, of her message to parents, should a strike occur.
Lolli said some concessions have been offered as well as a raise of hourly rate for drivers.
Superintendent says the 10-day notice the district received forces them to make alternate plans, says they’ve made concessions and significantly raised per hour pay offer to drivers. pic.twitter.com/WdIDC1FWql
— Mike Campbell (@MCampbellWHIO) March 29, 2018
EARLIER REPORT
Dayton Public Schools leaders said they will immediately begin work on alternate student transportation plans after the union representing bus drivers filed a notice of their intent to strike April 10.
DPS and the 145-member bus drivers’ union, Ohio Association of Public School Employees Local 627, have negotiated for nearly nine months without agreement on a new contract.
A district news release issued Wednesday afternoon said the two sides had reached “an ultimate impasse in their negotiations,” and bus drivers provided notice of their intent to strike.
“To ensure that transportation services for students are not disrupted as a result of any strike, the board will immediately prepare a strike plan, including contracting with outside busing providers and providing information to parents about what to expect,” the Dayton Public Schools’ release said.
The strike would start after students return from spring break and would directly coincide with the start of state-required student testing.
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