Veolia Slammed at Boston City Council Hearing for Bus Drivers Lockout and Contract Violations
BOSTON/Government Center - Veolia Transportation was slammed repeatedly in a hearing of Boston City Council Thursday night ordered by Councilor Charles Yancey, chaired by Councilor Felix Arroyo, and attended by Councilors Ayanna Pressley and Tito Jackson.
At issue are the French company’s labor practices since it took over the running of the Boston Public Schools’ bus system in July, and what appears to be a lockout of the bus drivers’ union on October 8th, resulting in serious disruption for families with school children across the city. Veolia Transportation claims the union engaged in a wildcat strike and subsequently fired four of the union’s leaders. The hearing was packed with over 250 school bus drivers, and supporters of the Boston School Bus Union 5 of the United Steelworkers, many sitting in the aisles and in an overflow room.