School bus drivers walking off on strike???

[declansdad]

Why don't the schools, funded by the hard-working citizens, have a back-up plan?

Why don't they have people in place to show up when others abandon their jobs?

If a teacher quit, they'd replace her quick enough.

There is a difference between quitting and going on strike. In many cases, employers do not simply replace workers when they go on strike. Going on strike is far from abandoning your job.

 

[golfgal]

OK, so parents have to be responsible enough to plan for anything that might happen, and have people in place to deal with things like transporting their children, etc.

How come the bus drivers don't have to be responsible enough to do THEIR jobs? If everyone is equal, and no job is more important, why do doctors have to do their work, but bus drivers don't?

And what about the schools? Shouldn't they be responsible, too? Why don't they have people they can call to drive the busses if the guys who are supposed to do it aren't responsible enough to show up?

Or is it just the people who pay the bills need to be responsible? The folks shelling out for all the administrators, teachers, bus drivers, etc. They need to be responsible and understanding that sometimes the people they pay will just refuse to do their jobs...and figure out some way to live with it.

It isn't bad enough that we pay these guys waaay too much money for what they do, we now need to pay them AND DO THEIR JOBS FOR THEM?

Who gets paid too much for their jobs???? Again, bus service is just that, it is a SERVICE, not a guarantee. It is a choice your district makes to HELP parents, they do NOT have to offer bus service, ever. How is it the fault of the school that the bus drivers are going on strike? Why are they striking in the first place?

 

[auntpolly]

I don't know the particulars of the strike (maybe it's buried in this thread but I didn't read every single post), but I guess one thing that is for sure, bus drivers provide a hugely valuable service, or there wouldn't be this big fight, and people who provide jobs that are so valued should be compensated accordingly.

Bus drivers going on strike, as long as they don't stop the bus at the corner of first and main and walk away leaving a bus full of 1st graders, creates a huge inconvenience, but not a safety issue, as with other strikes.

And if it wasn't a huge inconvenience, people would prove somehow that the strike didn't affect them and so it wouldn't affect the contract.

 

[Duckfan-in-Chicago]

I'm not saying one of God's creatures is more important than another, but the work that doctors do IS much, MUCH more important than the work most people do. Doctors, dentists, farmers. That stuff we NEED.

The Doctors need the blood supply and certain drugs to be refrigerated which requires HVAC workers and electricians. Then they need fancy hospitals which require architechs and engineers and carpenters and ironworkers, ect. But none of this work is important at all. And the buildings that the tradespeople are building to keep people safe from the weather, like the Superdome in NO last year, and the homes that everyone takes for granted to shield us from the extreme cold every year...those people don't save lives every day too? Then the sanitation workers who pick up the trash in every city in the country so that we're not overrun by rats and we live in clean communities, they don't protect us from diseases in their own way? I would think there are more than a few jobs we need in this country. Maybe you could get a list going of exactly which jobs are important and which ones aren't?

 

[MzDiz]

School bus drivers get paid too much???

 

[auntpolly]

What if your school dropped the bus service all together, what would you do then. Again, it is not the responsibility of the school to see that your kids get to school, it is YOUR responsibility. You are lucky you still have bus service as MANY towns no longer have that luxury.

This happened in our town. Not all buses were gone, but the radius of walkers was expanded (to the point of a very long walk, too long for grad schoolers and without sidewalks). It happens. We pay our taxes too, but money only goes so far.

 

[auntpolly]

] Maybe you could get a list going of exactly which jobs are important and which ones aren't?

Yeah, and if only it were that simple. So I guess NBA players are waaaayyy more important than doctors!

 

[MouseWorshipin]

Who gets paid too much for their jobs???? Again, bus service is just that, it is a SERVICE, not a guarantee. It is a choice your district makes to HELP parents, they do NOT have to offer bus service, ever. How is it the fault of the school that the bus drivers are going on strike? Why are they striking in the first place?

"The District" is helping anyone. They are using OUR money, and they are getting paid with OUR money. We are not some charity they are beneficient enough to help out.

I didn't say it was the school's fault, I don't know who did. I didn't see that. I asked why schools didn't have to be responsible, too. Why don't they have folks in place to drive the busses when the bus drivers don't show up.

They are striking for the same reason everyone else does. They want more money or less work or both.

And why shouldn't we be pissed when we have to do the work we are PAYING other people to do?

 

[L107ANGEL]

Yeah, and if only it were that simple. So I guess NBA players are waaaayyy more important than doctors!

Huh?

 

[MouseWorshipin]

Maybe you could get a list going of exactly which jobs are important and which ones aren't?

I already did: Doctors, Dentists, Farmers. The rest we can muddle through on our own.

Aunt Polly has made an illogical leap and equated importance with money, I think that is the reference to the NBA. Maybe I'm wrong.

 

[auntpolly]

Aunt Polly has made an illogical leap and equated importance with money, I think that is the reference to the NBA. Maybe I'm wrong.

All do respect, I think you aren't being logical. I'm not the one who thinks NBA players are important. I'm not the one going to those games, paying those prices. But someone is. Or they wouldn't get what they get.

People don't get paid according to how important their work is. They get paid what people are willing to pay them. You aren't willing to pay the bus drivers, OK, find some cheaper ones. Personally, I'm more willing to scrimp on NBA pay than I am bus driver pay. (If only I got to decide! LOL! The market does that, supply and demand).

 

[Lanshark]

You know, Lanshark, I'm beginning to think that we Purdue grads are the only ones with any common sense around here . . .

 

[MouseWorshipin]

All do respect, I think you aren't being logical. I'm not the one who thinks NBA players are important. I'm not the one going to those games, paying those prices. But someone is. Or they wouldn't get what they get.

People don't get paid according to how important their work is. They get paid what people are willing to pay them. You aren't willing to pay the bus drivers, OK, find some cheaper ones. Personally, I'm more willing to scrimp on NBA pay than I am bus driver pay. (If only I got to decide! LOL! The market does that, supply and demand).

All due respect, I still have no idea why your made your original comment about b-ball players and quoted what you did.

I don't know what those drivers are asking, and never said I wouldn't pay them. Of course, if they walked out on their jobs, I wouldn't pay them. I'd replace them. I just see is as a Duh thing. If someone refuses to work, hire someone else! Duh.

I have to go now.

 

[m&m's mom]

I am absolutely appalled at most of the comments on this thread. I swear everyone is focusing in the OP's occupation and not the topic.
The TOPIC is what would you think if you had no idea how, or if, your child was getting home that day from school. For all of you high and mighties, turn it around. How would you feel if you went to pick up your child from school and they were not there and they had no idea where they were of if they would be there later? It is the unknown that would make me upset all day.
Incredible selfish act IMO.
No, my kids do not ride the bus and yes, I have multiple layers of backups but it is not always that cut and dried.
I think most of you are being downright hateful. Started w/ the "DUH!!!" comment and went downhill from there.

 

[auntpolly]

All due respect, I still have no idea why your made your original comment about b-ball players and quoted what you did.

I don't know what those drivers are asking, and never said I wouldn't pay them. Of course, if they walked out on their jobs, I wouldn't pay them. I'd replace them. I just see is as a Duh thing. If someone refuses to work, hire someone else! Duh.

I have to go now.

OK, you tell me why an NBA player gets paid more than a doctor.

And I'll say it again, without the "duh" , if you want to find cheaper drivers, go ahead, but I kind of like to find the good ones (good drivers, good with kids) and sometimes you have to pay them more. I assume it's hard to find good ones as it is.

 

[auntpolly]

I am absolutely appalled at most of the comments on this thread. I swear everyone is focusing in the OP's occupation and not the topic.
The TOPIC is what would you think if you had no idea how, or if, your child was getting home that day from school. For all of you high and mighties, turn it around. How would you feel if you went to pick up your child from school and they were not there and they had no idea where they were of if they would be there later? It is the unknown that would make me upset all day.
Incredible selfish act IMO.
No, my kids do not ride the bus and yes, I have multiple layers of backups but it is not always that cut and dried.
I think most of you are being downright hateful. Started w/ the "DUH!!!" comment and went downhill from there.

Hey, don't look at me, lol, I'm just trying to defend the right of a worker to strike and I got a "duh" too!!

 

[Deb in IA]

I am absolutely appalled at most of the comments on this thread. I swear everyone is focusing in the OP's occupation and not the topic.
The TOPIC is what would you think if you had no idea how, or if, your child was getting home that day from school. For all of you high and mighties, turn it around. How would you feel if you went to pick up your child from school and they were not there and they had no idea where they were of if they would be there later? It is the unknown that would make me upset all day.
Incredible selfish act IMO.
No, my kids do not ride the bus and yes, I have multiple layers of backups but it is not always that cut and dried.
I think most of you are being downright hateful. Started w/ the "DUH!!!" comment and went downhill from there.

Thank you, m&m's mom, and MouseWorshipin (again), and Lanshark.

Yes, m&m, that was my point. I guess I thought people MIGHT be a bit upset if their child's school bus all of a sudden, did not bring them home. And there was uncertainty as to which buses would be involved, or when the kids might make it home.

But it was the "so what" and "no big deal" attitudes that surprised me.

And yes, that super sarcastic "DUH" did set me off, and maybe I was a bit harsh in my reply, more in self-defense, I think.

Well, it's obvious that people here have disagree and have different opinions. That's fine. But I'll bow out, as I really don't feel like having my career choice, family life, or work habits bashed.

 

[Serena]

I was in a similar instance a few months ago. My child stayed after school for band practice. The afterschool bus was supposed to take her home afterwards. Well, they never showed up. I was at work, my back ups weren't home and I had no idea what I should do. I was the only one in my department that day, no one to cover for me.
Her teacher and his wife volunteered to bring her home.

I would be totally ticked if all of a sudden I find out my kid may or may not get home by bus.
Those bus drivers and the schools have the responsibility to those children. Get the kids home, then walk off the job. At least give the parents some warning.

 

[declansdad]

Of course, if they walked out on their jobs, I wouldn't pay them. I'd replace them. I just see is as a Duh thing. If someone refuses to work, hire someone else! Duh.

I have to go now.

If you could simply fire workers that go on strike, what would the point of unions be?

I am no fan of unions but I can certanly understand the importance of having them. If it weren't for unions we would all still be working 16 hour days for very little money and no benefits.

Many public sector unions go on strike to make people upset and hoping that they inconvenience people. That in turn will get the general public to put pressure on the officials to settle strikes. They will only strike when they feel that they are in a position of power.

And contrary to some opinions, unions do not always strike for only more money and less work.

I don't think that what anyone does has any bearing onthis discussion.

 

[MzDiz]

I already did: Doctors, Dentists, Farmers. The rest we can muddle through on our own.

I dunno MouseWorshipin, something tells me that I shouldn't mess around with waste water treatment, electricity or nuclear energy.