CHATHAM — As Chicago Public Schools grapples with a bus driver shortage, employees at a South Side company — CPS’ largest bus service provider for students with disabilities — are heading into week three of a strike demanding fairer treatment and higher wages.
Long hours, a “hectic” work environment and unequal treatment are among the reasons dozens of CPS paratransit and Pace drivers were on the picket line in Tuesday’s sweltering heat outside SCR Medical Transportation, headquartered in Burnside.
“We’re overworked and underpaid,” said Leslie Scott, a CPS paratransit driver at SCR Medical Transportation. Scott was once was stranded alone on the expressway for hours on her broken-down school bus.
“We’re out here with the kids every day, back and forth, doing what we need to do to make sure the kids get back home, but [SCR] doesn’t care about us or helping us do what we need to do for them,” Scott said.
On Monday, the first day of school for CPS students, some SCR paratransit drivers crossed the picket line and arrived at SCR headquarters at 8801 S. Greenwood Ave. expecting to receive work — only to hear CPS pulled its contract with the company for the foreseeable future, SCR employee Linda Hudson said.
SCR “didn’t have the decency to call people and tell them not to come into work on Monday,” Hudson said. Many of those workers subsequently joined the strike.
SCR is the school district’s largest paratransit vendor, representing “over 45 percent of our fleet,” according to a statement from CPS.
SCR, a subsidiary of Beacon Family Mobility, serves 1.5 million passengers annually, including CPS students with disabilities.
On Aug. 14, SCR employees — more than 800 of whom unionized in April with Teamsters Local 727 — announced an unfair labor practice strike after the company failed to provide a fair contract following months of negotiations.
In anticipation of the strike, CPS minimized routes given to SCR and placed other vendors on notice, district officials said.
SCR employees said company management is disrespectful, wages are below the industry’s standard and work hours can be cut without notice, further reducing their pay.
“We work with the most vulnerable people in our communities, and this company doesn’t respect the employees,” Hudson said. “They respect the bottom line.”
SCR made a proposal to begin paying starting employees $23 an hour, the industry standard, said Monique Johnson, a 16-year employee who is part of the union’s bargaining team. But senior employees who’ve been with the company over a decade earn $24.50 an hour, Johnson said.
“If SCR agrees to raise the starting pay, all employees should receive a raise,” Johnson said.
“They’re telling us they don’t care about the senior drivers, but we’re all standing together and uniting as one,” Johnson said. “We want them to treat us fair. That’s all we’re asking for. We have families like they do. We want to be able to provide for them, as well.”
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters is paying striking employees $1,000 per week to supplement the costs of daily living.
“Members on the strike line are saying they can’t pay their rent or car payments,” said Caleen Carter-Patton, a union spokesperson. “They dream of taking their kids on vacation some day. They’re not asking to be millionaires. They’re asking for a middle-class life.”
Kristin Persu, vice president of SCR, called the Teamster union’s demands “financially unrealistic” in a statement issued Friday to Block Club.
While negotiations with the union are ongoing, SCR has “been put in the untenable position to now transition negotiations to potentially surrender our contract with the Chicago Public Schools,” Persu said.
“Work remains available for employees who wish to work, and we will remain at the table to reach an agreement in good faith that will preserve jobs and end the strike,” she said.
Since the strike began, CPS and other organizations that use SCR’s services have had to pivot.
Pace, one of the nation’s largest bus services, has advised ADA paratransit passengers to take other sources of transportation during the strike, the Sun-Times reported. Metra and the Chicago Transit Authority are waiving fairs for paratransit riders.
The scarcity of qualified drivers “has forced CPS to prioritize yellow bus transportation for our most vulnerable students,” district officials said in a statement. The district saw a 37 percent increase in qualified yellow bus drivers this school year, but a higher percentage of families need transportation services.
Nearly 15,600 CPS students are eligible for transportation, according to district data. Of that, the district received 10,695 transportation requests for students with disabilities — a 50 percent increase from last year, officials said.
Nearly 8,800 students with disabilities have received transportation this year, but 1,913 still don’t have rides to school, according to CPS.
CPS is collaborating with other vendors to coordinate routes during the strike, but if families of students with disabilities aren’t given a bus route, they can receive $25 per day until the district finds another transportation provider, the district’s statement said.
“Should the strike continue, the District’s operational ability to route and transport additional students will be impacted.”
Hudson, who has been with SCR for about a year, has “never worked in an environment where you’re so totally disrespected,” she said.
Management has yelled explicit words at employees and “changed rules on a dime,” Hudson said.
Scott, the bus driver from Roseland, said long and unpredictable work hours aren’t uncommon. She begins her North Side bus route at 5:45 a.m., picking up and dropping off CPS students with disabilities.
The morning her bus broke down after returning from school drop-offs, Scott said the company eventually sent help, but she didn’t make it back to the company’s offices until 7 p.m. to clock out.
The single mom of five had to pick up her boys from the local police station because their daycare had already closed, she said. Still, she was expected to show up bright and early the next day — and she did.
These days, Scott pays for someone to pick up and drop off her children on weekdays, an extra expense that threatens her ability to make a living wage and support her family, she said.
Scott said she hopes to one day afford a vacation for her children. They have their passports ready for when the opportunity arrives.
“We should all be treated equally,” Scott said. “Their bills are getting paid. Ours need to be paid too.”
Conclusion:
The strike by SCR Medical Transportation employees highlights the struggles faced by low-wage workers in the transportation industry. Despite their hard work and dedication, these employees are often underpaid and overworked, leading to burnout and financial difficulties. The strike also highlights the importance of fair labor practices and the need for employers to prioritize the well-being of their employees.
FAQs:
Q: Why are SCR Medical Transportation employees on strike?
A: The employees are on strike because they are demanding fairer treatment and higher wages.
Q: What are the main issues the employees are facing?
A: The employees are facing long hours, a “hectic” work environment, and unequal treatment.
Q: How many employees are affected by the strike?
A: Over 800 employees are affected by the strike.
Q: What is the impact of the strike on CPS students with disabilities?
A: The strike is impacting the transportation services provided to CPS students with disabilities, with some students still not having rides to school.
Q: How long has the strike been ongoing?
A: The strike has been ongoing for three weeks.
Q: What is the International Brotherhood of Teamsters doing to support the striking employees?
A: The International Brotherhood of Teamsters is paying striking employees $1,000 per week to supplement the costs of daily living.
