Boston School Bus Union Victory

USW 8751, side by side with the communities it serves, beats Veolia/Transdev

In October, 2013, the rank-and-file members of the Boston School Bus Drivers Union, United Steelworkers Local 8751, made a historic stand against the unfair and illegal practices of Veolia Transportation, Inc. On July 1, Veolia had taken over managing Boston school transportation from First Student. Grievances were piling up so fast that sixteen Unfair Labor Practices had to be filed before the school year started in September.

Against Veolia/Transdev, a powerhouse of privatization, just how did the Boston School Bus Drivers Union finally win after a 27-month struggle? That is a powerfully important question for today’s labor movement, which has suffered so many setbacks, and for all working-class and oppressed people. This pamphlet, which contains a selection of articles from Workers World newspaper written in the heat of the battle and concludes with excerpts from a post-victory conversation on “harvesting the lessons,” is an attempt to provide the answers.