Jacksonville parents have less than a week before Duval County students return to class, and a major school-bus contractor is facing a strike threat from 275 workers. The looming labor fight could put Durham School Services routes across parts of the city in a precarious spot just as the back-to-school rush begins.
The workers, represented by Teamsters Local 512, voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike if Durham does not reach what the union calls a fair collective-bargaining agreement. News4JAX reported that no strike deadline has been announced, while Duval students are scheduled to return Monday, Aug. 10.
A strike vote is not the same thing as an immediate walkout, but the potential impact is substantial. Durham is one of two private vendors contracted to run Duval County Public Schools routes, and the company could be short hundreds of drivers this school year if negotiations collapse.
Durham handles routes serving the Beaches, Arlington, Southside and Mandarin areas, while Student Transportation of America covers Northside, Downtown, Airport and Westside routes, according to Duval County Public Schools. The district says more than 30,000 students ride its buses daily, meaning even a partial disruption could ripple into morning drop-offs, work schedules and after-school plans.
Union Says Proposed Cuts Could Undermine Existing Protections
Local 512 says it has negotiated with Durham for weeks and accuses the company of proposing sweeping concessions involving wages, benefits and workplace protections. Rebecca Cardona, the union’s president, said members “will not stand by” while those standards are stripped away, while longtime driver Katina Stewart said workers take pride in safely transporting Jacksonville students, according to News4JAX.
The dispute lands on top of a staffing problem that has already caused headaches for Duval families. During significant bus delays in 2023, the union told News4JAX that driver shortages were affecting districts nationwide and said newly negotiated contracts then offered starting pay ranging from $16 to $20 an hour, depending on the service area.
DCPS is still publicly recruiting drivers for both transportation vendors, a sign that the district’s bus system remains dependent on filling difficult-to-staff jobs. Durham says its hiring process includes background checks, medical screening, commercial-driver licensing and classroom and behind-the-wheel training, according to the company’s human-resources information.
Jacksonville Has Seen Bus Labor Showdowns Before
This is not the first time Local 512 and Duval’s bus contractors have approached the edge of a strike. In August 2020, the union and Durham reached a tentative agreement after a standoff over safety measures including protective equipment, seating charts, ventilation and loading procedures, as previously reported by News4JAX.
The tension also comes after a Durham labor dispute in Alaska that escalated into an extended strike earlier this year. Teamsters there accused the company of stalling and engaging in unfair labor practices before workers eventually ratified a contract and returned to work, according to a union release distributed through PR Newswire.
What Happens Before The First Bell
For now, the key question is whether Durham and Local 512 can reach an agreement before drivers decide to walk out. The union has not identified a strike date, and the district has not announced a replacement plan for Durham routes if a work stoppage occurs.
Legal Implications
Local 512 says it is preparing to take Durham to court over alleged unfair labor practices under the National Labor Relations Act, but those claims have not been adjudicated in the current dispute. The National Labor Relations Board says federal law protects the right to strike in many circumstances, while also imposing limits based on the strike’s purpose, timing and conduct.
