New York City students riding buses may experience some “disruptions and delays” on the first day of classes Thursday because of an ongoing labor dispute involving the bus drivers’ union, Schools Chancellor David Banks warned.
Last week, Amalgamated Transit Union 1181, which represents more than 8,000 school bus drivers, “suspended” their annual route selection process as labor groups and the city tried to reach a contract agreement, according to Banks.
“This may result in some drivers being placed on unfamiliar bus routes and some companies not being able to provide families riding restricted routes to school with pick-up and drop-off times before the first day of school,” Banks said Wednesday.
Before each school year, bus drivers typically choose one of 4,400 routes across five districts based on seniority.
Some Big Apple school families didn’t receive information about their bus routes just a day before school, according to Chancellor Bank. AP
The ATU rejects the selection process as it continues to demand higher wages across the board.
“Some families may not have received confirmation from their bus vendor regarding their route information,” Banks acknowledged Wednesday.
“We want to make parents and families aware that they may, in fact, experience some disruption and delays from riding the bus on their first day of school,” he said.
Banks warned parents to expect “some disruptions and delays from buses” on the first day of school.James Messerschmidt for the NY Post
The ATU is committed to bus services for Thursday and Friday — but a strike later this week has not been ruled out.
The union said it had not stopped pushing for a “fair contract” and was still negotiating with bus companies and the Big Apple.
The city’s instructions to schools regarding the large number of migrant children being added to classrooms are: Think for yourself!
A brief 415-word memo guideline includes . . .
- That the Department of Education doesn’t track immigration status suggests that it can’t give schools any idea of how many kids they’ll take — but then warns all administrators that they “can’t turn away any students.”
- Students may not arrive in English. Schools should find teachers who speak the language “if available.” If not available, use federal funding to hire multiple translators.
- It is up to the schools themselves to identify the number of English language learners they have, within 10 days.
- Children may not have school supplies. So again, the city told them to use federal funding to buy some, encouraging schools to “build a closet of care packages.”
- Still in trouble? “Please complete the Central Project Open Arms Team Support Request form.”
DOE unveiled an expensive backup plan last week in case its bus drivers choose to go on strike, which includes using rideshare apps like Uber and Lyfts, and MetroCards to get thousands of children to school.
The department said it will either pre-order Ubers, Lyfts or taxis for students or reimburse families up to $100 per trip for rides.
If a strike occurs, it will be the first since January 2013.
The ATU suspended its strike, but said it was continuing to fight for higher wages.Getty Images
Potential bus route chaos isn’t the only issue city schools will face to start the academic year.
Gov. Kathy Hochul warned Wednesday that thousands of new foreign students will pose a “challenge” of language barriers in the classroom.
Most of the 60,000 asylum seekers sheltering in the five counties are limited to Spanish, he said.
In preparation, DOE hired 3,400 licensed teachers of English as a New Language, as well as more than 1,700 teachers fluent in Spanish.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
