School Bus Contracts That Prompted Strike Approved
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The controversial school bus contracts that led to a citywide strike earlier this year have been approved.
Angry bus drivers and matrons voiced their outrage before the Panel for Educational Policy voted on the contracts, which will strip away employee job protections.
Bus drivers and matrons walked off the job in January to fight the city's effort to open up bidding on new school bus contracts.
The city said it could not legally keep the employee protection provisions or EPPs in new contracts, but union officials say that's not true.
"We demand you take that bid back, and you put the EPP back to protect these young workers and hard workers for the city of New York. It's a disgrace," said ATU Local 1181 President Michael Cordiello.
"Can't do a competitive bid, a legal competitive bid with EPPs and we were intent ondoing a competitive bid," said PEP Member David Brown.
The panel says competitive bidding will save the city $20 million a year.
Union officials say 2,000 bus workers will lose their jobs in June as a result of the bidding process.