Bill requiring contracted school bus drivers to receive parity in benefits with school district employees signed into law by Governor Jay Inslee

In a major win for school bus drivers and Teamsters in Washington State, a new bill has finally been signed into law which will require contracted school bus companies to provide equal benefits to bus drivers directly employed by school districts. The bill closes a loophole which previously allowed school bus drivers to fall through the cracks, being left with inferior-to-no healthcare and benefits packages as compared to their fellow bus drivers working for school districts directly. These contracted drivers, who work for companies like First Student, Durham, Zūm, and Harlow’s among others, will now receive full benefits packages from their employers – a victory made possible entirely by the Teamsters Union and the workers who fought for this bill.

This fight truly began in 2018 when members of Teamsters Local 174 at First Student went on strike against the company for 8 days in a battle for better and more affordable healthcare. Prior to the strike, members had little access to healthcare, meaning even those with chronic conditions such as diabetes and asthma were often left to struggle alone. After the strike, members won better healthcare and some retirement benefits, but there was still a massive gap between what they were offered as compared to what school district bus drivers were receiving as public employees. This allowed the outside companies contracting the school bus service to pad their profits, while school districts saved money on busing costs – at the expense of the drivers who were doing the work of transporting our children to and from school.

“We had to fight with our blood sweat and tears just to get what we have, and we were still coming up short when it comes to getting the medical care we need to stay healthy,” First Student Teamster Earl Johnson testified before the State Legislature on several occasions. “The work we do is necessary and important. We aren’t worth less just because the side of the bus we drive says ‘First Student’ instead of the name of a public school district.”

HB 1248 was introduced in the Washington State Legislature in 2023 with backing from Prime Sponsor Rep. Monica Stonier (D-Vancouver), and Teamsters Locals 174, 38, and 763 and Teamsters Joint Council 28 were all heavily involved in lobbying for its passage. After years of previous bills, hearings, delays, and intensive lobbying efforts by the Union, the bill finally passed the Washington State House and Senate on March 5th and was signed into law on March 28th.

“This bill is a life-changing and historic victory for our members as well as nonunion school bus drivers doing contract school bus driving in Washington,” said Teamsters Joint Council 28 President Rick Hicks. “It has taken years of hard work, but this law makes the fight entirely worth it. We have closed a loophole that put a heavy burden on contracted school bus drivers for a long time, and we can now celebrate this win knowing that Teamsters and non-Teamsters alike will have access to the benefits they rightly deserve for the challenging work they perform every day, caring for our most precious cargo.”