MERIDEN, Conn. — Sept. 1 marks the first day of a strike for Meriden bus drivers, who are demanding fair wages as contract negotiations continue.
Meriden Public Schools still held class on Friday and students were expected to find alternative transportation.
Meriden Mayor Kevin Scarpati said that it was "a busy morning for schools" as parents teamed up with neighbors and friends to drive students to school.
Scarpati addressed the media mid-morning Friday, saying it was "reassuring to see the entire community come together...Resounding positive response."
The school district's goal was to get their students in the classroom to learn and do it in a safe and effective way while buses are not rolling.
Scarpati said there were 89% of students in attendance Friday, which has been consistent with what the district has seen since the first day of school on Wednesday. He said that means around 7,500 are in classrooms on Friday.
With that said, Scarpati notes that "what happened today should not and can not be the norm," and he called on the bus drivers on strike and the Teamsters to "hash this out for our kids and our community."
The strike officially started at the New Britain Transportation (NBT) center as dozens of drivers have come out and protested contract negotiations they say are nowhere near what they want.
The Teamsters Local 671 bus drivers union said it gave NBT a midnight deadline to reach an agreement.
A deal was not reached and now parents need to find another way to get their children to school safely. All schools are opening early and staying open late to accommodate the changes and any students absent on Friday will be excused, according to officials.
Drivers said they want fair wages. Right now, drivers said they make a least $4 per out less than competing companies. The group also asks for safer working conditions and the company to provide health insurance, 401k contributions, and paid holidays.
Lizette Maldonado, a 13-year bus-driving veteran, said she has been living paycheck to paycheck and doesn't think what they are asking for is excessive.
"Many of these people have to work two jobs; I have worked two jobs before. We just want a decent living wage, and we want to be heard because we love our job," Maldonado said.
Teamsters Union 671 Representative Nick Frangiamore said this wasn't something they wanted to do but needed to do. He said not everyone chose to stand with them.
“The drivers who cross the picket line made the decision to risk their ability to remain a part of this unit. It’s been clear to them from the beginning this is what happens if you cross, and we encourage them all the way through while we are stopping that bus to talk them out of it," Frangiamore said.
He said they knew the strike would be difficult on parents, but they needed to fight for what they deserved.
NBT released a statement saying, "We cannot believe the Teamsters total disregard of the children of Meriden for their own financial gain. They have terrorized their very own members who came to work to get children to school, and that is disgraceful. The union has disrupted negotiations with threats."
They also mentioned previously that NBT never refused the drivers' health care or a 401k but just refused to switch to the Teamster benefits that were already in place.
The strike Friday will last through 5 p.m., and the drivers say they will continue it after the holiday weekend if an agreement isn't reached.
Brooke Griffin is a reporter for FOX61 News. She can be reached at bgriffin@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
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