Literature review: “NYC school bus strike”



Introduction

Many major strikes happen in the city of New York from which one of the serious issues is raised by the school bus driver of New York City in which more than eight thousand aides and the school bus drivers went on strike. On the Wednesday morning around 152,000 students were reluctant in reaching to their schools and had been finding other ways to get to their schools. Since the start of this bus strike the students kept facing issues and have got no means to reach their schools (Paulsen, 2013). The walkout has been seen by the union bus drivers in which 3000 bus routes were running. According to the media reports, the police were also called for the control of such largest bus drivers strike. The threat lasted for several weeks, for reasons of employment protection for drivers and their seniority in the new contracts (White, 2013). The walkout was even participated by the city's push in order to privatize the yellow buses. The issue was on saving of money.

Problem

The significant dispute of that strike is of job security provision which is also known as “Employment Protection Provisions” (EPPs). This provision guarantees that the senior drivers will have their work even if the city would change the contractors. It has been seen from the case that Bloomberg is actually accusing the workers of union, however, the argument of their safety is considerably a pretext, there what they truly need is their job protection which the city is not legally willing to provide.

Since, the day was rainy and cold. The municipality has put out to tender their contracts with private bus companies in a bid to cut costs (Paulsen, 2013). A union office Amalgamated Transit Union argues that drivers could lose their jobs when contracts expire in June. The city plans to distribute transit cards for students to ride buses and subways, and reimburse parents who have to drive their children or take taxis.

At the heart of the conflict: the 1100 opening of routes to competition. Mr. Bloomberg says he wants to and reduces the cost of school transport estimated at $ 1.1 billion per year, or 6,900 dollars per child, the highest of all the United States.

“Our hands are tied by the mayor who puts our auction contracts without any guarantee for the safety of children," replied the union said in a statement”.

During the strike, students will be free school buses every day to get a bus card (Metro Card). Parents of younger students if accompanied their children to school, can also apply for a free bus card. Student residence is no public transport can also take a private car or hit a bus to school, transportation fees may apply for reimbursement (Lockie, 2013).

Therefore, the problem has enlarged the critical situation for the city and for general public. The issue has become more critical when the strike kept exceeding the protest days. However, many efforts were being made to ...