School bus drivers walking off on strike???

[Deb in IA]

Now, I'm not anti-union, but what do you think of school bus drivers walking off their jobs?

An automated e-mail notice went out this morning to all parents in our school district, saying that the Teamsters were going to strike, and that SOME of the school buses would be affected this afternoon. They did not know which ones or how many.

Some mention was made about making alternative plans, but no details.


What do you all think of this?
Oh, and our kids do NOT ride the bus . . .thankfully!

 

[MouseWorshipin]

Same thing I think about anyone that walks away from a job. They should be replaced quickly.

 

[momof2inPA]

Strikes are supposed to inconvenience the employers. What good would they be if they didn't? Unforturnately, you are caught in the cross fire. I think, as long as kids are not left stranded, it's ok. Personally, if I were a school bus driver, I would be on strike everyday. I think it's a tougher job than teaching.

 

[Deb in IA]

Strikes are supposed to inconvenience the employers. What good would they be if they didn't? Unforturnately, you are caught in the cross fire. I think, as long as kids are not left stranded, it's ok. Personally, if I were a school bus driver, I would be on strike everyday. I think it's a tougher job than teaching.

How about if it was YOUR kid, and you had no idea how or when your kid was getting home . . . . or who was driving them?

 

[Doctor P]

How about if it was YOUR kid, and you had no idea how or when your kid was getting home . . . . or who was driving them?

Well, I guess I would make sure I was at the school to pick them up. DUHHHH!!!

 

[Deb in IA]

Well, I guess I would make sure I was at the school to pick them up. DUHHHH!!!

It must be nice to have an job that is relatively unimportant that you can do that.
Some of us real doctors can't exactly walk off our jobs . . .

 

[daisyduck123]

How about if it was YOUR kid, and you had no idea how or when your kid was getting home . . . . or who was driving them?

Well they're my children & I'm ultimately responsible for them...DH or myself would be there to pick them up.

 

[Doctor P]

Thanks for the personal attack. Actually, I don't think ANYONE'S job is more important than a child's safety and well being. If you can't leave your job to pick up your child at a given point in time (which I can understand), then make sure that there is someone responsible who the child knows who can pick them up.

 

[daisyduck123]

It must be nice to have an job that is relatively unimportant that you can do that.
Some of us real doctors can't exactly walk off our jobs . . .

Well that is why each parent is suppossed to have a "back-up" plan (neighbor, relative, etc). Don't you fill that out on an emergency form at the beginning of the school year? I mean, if you were to get a call at work that your child was sick at school, you would need to have someone to pick him/her up.

 

[golfgal]

It must be nice to have an job that is relatively unimportant that you can do that.
Some of us real doctors can't exactly walk off our jobs . . .

No, you probably can't leave your job but you could use the phone and make arrangements to have your children picked up can't you? Basically what you are saying in this statement is that your job is more important then your children and not that I think you really mean that but that is how it comes across.

 

[Deb in IA]

Thanks for the personal attack.

Hmmm. Where is the personal attack? Just stating that physicians can't exactly walk out in the middle of surgery, or seeing a room full of patients.

Because it sure seemed like you were under the impression that we could.

 

[Deb in IA]

Well that is why each parent is suppossed to have a "back-up" plan (neighbor, relative, etc). Don't you fill that out on an emergency form at the beginning of the school year? I mean, if you were to get a call at work that your child was sick at school, you would need to have someone to pick him/her up.

Go back and READ my original post, daisy.


SOME of the buses. NOT all of them. Didn't know which ones would be affected.

So many of the kids would be on their regular route. SOME would not. And no way to tell which would be and which would not.

So, how do you plan for THAT?????

 

[MICKEY88]

Personally, if I were a school bus driver, I would be on strike everyday. I think it's a tougher job than teaching.

wouldn't it make more sense to get a different job

 

[MoniqueU]

OMG maybe the parents will actually have to pick them up like those of us in California do EVERYDAY.

 

[MouseWorshipin]

I don't think ANYONE'S job is more important than a child's safety and well being.

How about bus driver pay scales? Are those more important?

Doctors (and nurses, like me!) can not walk out. They have to stay.

 

[Deb in IA]

No, you probably can't leave your job but you could use the phone and make arrangements to have your children picked up can't you?

Well, as I said, our kids do NOT ride the bus, so yes, we do make after school arrangements for our kids all the time.

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

Strikes are supposed to inconvenience the employers.

Actually, I'd describe it more as "hold people hostage until the ransom is paid."

And how long would/could the strike last? And how many people would be complaining if their doctor (since we're talking about doctors) had to keep canceling appointments to go get their children...day after day, possibly week after week, maybe even month after month? An endless strike HARDLY compares with picking up a sick child at school a few times, or getting someone else to.

Someone who makes a "DUHHH!" comment should hardly be jumping up and down about a supposed personal attack.

JMHO...of course.

OMG maybe the parents will actually have to pick them up like those of us in California do EVERYDAY.

I would ASSUME that in California, if you're not paying taxes for transportation for your kids, then you will have made arrangements for them from the beginning. Paying your taxes, and then having a service that you've relied on...oh, is relying on a service you paid for BAD???...taken away, IS an inconvenience...a HUGE one. But it certainly is SO nice to see how many DISers would just go with the flow without compaint...as always.

 

[golfgal]

Go back and READ my original post, daisy.


SOME of the buses. NOT all of them. Didn't know which ones would be affected.

So many of the kids would be on their regular route. SOME would not. And no way to tell which would be and which would not.

So, how do you plan for THAT?????

If my kids were dependent on a bus for a ride home and there was a possibility that that bus may not be operating I would call my back up plan person and say 'since this bus strike might happen and they don't know which buses are effected, could you pick up the kids today and until we know what is happening with the buses?".

 

[daisyduck123]

Go back and READ my original post, daisy.


SOME of the buses. NOT all of them. Didn't know which ones would be affected.

So many of the kids would be on their regular route. SOME would not. And no way to tell which would be and which would not.

So, how do you plan for THAT?????

Well...on our county...there are many options for something like that"
1) call the school
2) wait & see if your child's bus brings him home
3) or do what most parents would do & just go pick up your kid

We had an incident like this last month....there was a bad traffic accident & only people who had heard about it knew that many of the county's buses weren't getting kids home on time. When buses didn't bring kids home..parents just came & got their kids.

Parents who did hear about the accident just showed up at dismissal.
It all worked out fine & everyone was home long before suppertime.

 

[Deb in IA]

OK, what I was really interested in is what people WHOSE CHILDREN RIDE A SCHOOL BUS would think if they suddenly found out that maybe there would be a bus, and maybe there would not, and maybe we'll get your kids home, but maybe not.

I just thought some people would be upset with that uncertainty. But, I guess I was wrong . . . everyone is perfectly happy with their child's bus suddenly not bothering to show up.

C'est la vie . . .