‘A Grossly Underpaid Job’: Anne Arundel County Executive Says Drivers Must Earn Living Wage On Second Day Of Bus Driver Strike

3 years ago 308

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) — Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman connected Tuesday said helium is committed to utilizing national and section backing to summation the paychecks of the county’s schoolhouse autobus drivers aft a drivers strike that has impacted dozens of students’ commutes.

The drivers with Annapolis Bus Company person been connected onslaught since Monday, demanding amended wage and benefits. Anne Arundel County Public Schools said connected Tuesday 80 autobus routes were impacted.

“To accidental that I’m aggravated and upset is an understatement, and it’s not the schoolhouse autobus drivers that I’m aggravated at,” Pittman said. “The drivers are astatine wit’s extremity astatine this point. We cognize that being a schoolhouse autobus operator is simply a grossly underpaid occupation that requires a immense magnitude of accomplishment and responsibility.”

Annapolis Bus Company is 1 of astir 15 autobus companies that person contracts with Anne Arundel County Schools.

Pittman said that from his meetings with autobus contractors, helium learned the contractors estimation astir drivers marque betwixt $25,000 to $28,000 annually. He said determination is simply a wide statement that the drivers request to beryllium paid a surviving wage.

“We won’t lick the shortage of drivers occupation successful this region until we code the information that these jobs don’t wage a livable wage,” Pittman said.

Pittman said helium volition be a schoolhouse committee gathering astatine noon Tuesday to telephone connected the committee to alteration the mode contracts are written with the autobus companies the region enlists.

MORE NEWS: Baltimore County Announces Free Flu Vaccination Clinics On Oct. 16-17