Re: Letter from the DUTU President

I hope everyone enjoyed their long and well-deserved summer break. It always seems like we have plenty of time to get everything done, and then, in the blink of an eye, summer is over and it’s time to get back to the grind.

Welcome Back—Safety First

Summer break is over, and it’s time to get back to the grind. The early alarm clocks, unfamiliar routes, and school buses are back—and so are the responsibilities that come with getting our students to and from school safely.

As we begin another school year, let’s keep our focus where it belongs: safety first.

Take your time, stay alert, and don’t let distractions take your attention away from the road.

Every student who steps onto one of our buses is counting on us to get them to school and back home safely. Let’s look out for one another, support our fellow team members, and take pride in the important work we do every day.

GOVERNING COUNCIL CHAIRS-  3 OPEN 

In March we had an election for Governing Council. This was an opportunity for all union members to step up and make a difference. 

It is not too late to contribute to the betterment of our local. Due to resignations and lack of candidates in the election, we have 3 open chairs. Membership and Election Chairs are vital to our local. If you or someone you know is interested in any of the below open seats, please reach out to me.

ELECTION – OPEN

MEMBERSHIP – OPEN

Deb Beaupre has been gracious enough to step up and continue helping us with membership.

SOCIAL/SUNSHINE – OPEN

Fundraiser/Raffles, Events/Parties, Holidays/Decorating, Retirement, Loss of Family

Route Picks and Preparing for the First Day

Route picks didn’t go as smoothly as we had hoped, but we have been working with management to address and resolve the issues that came up. Please take the time to carefully review your route sheets. We noticed several discrepancies, including runs that were missing from routes, runs assigned to the wrong route, and incorrect punch times due to shuttles not being attached to routes.

If you find any discrepancies before or after completing your dry run, please speak with a member of management or a router as soon as possible.

This is also the time to address any questions or concerns regarding construction, road closures, rerouting, or student pickup and drop-off locations. Please use the time available before the first day of school to get these issues resolved. The first few days of school are always busy, and there will be plenty of radio traffic. We don’t need to add to that when a concern could have been addressed ahead of time.

Remember, the office is usually locked on the first day of school. You may need to stand at the window or sign up and schedule a time to speak with someone. Please use your time wisely and make sure your concerns are addressed before Thursday, the 27th.

Upcoming Work and Overtime

There will be plenty of work available to bid on over the next several weeks, so keep a close eye on your work email for postings.

Once overtime has been approved, we will follow our contractual procedures regarding the proxy and award process. Anyone under 40 hours will be awarded available work first, by seniority. Work that would bring an employee over 40 hours will then be awarded by seniority.

Primary Trip Drivers, please be mindful of your 32-hour limit. If you bid on work that puts you over the contractual 32 hours, you will be removed from the Primary Trip List.

Also, remember that your permanent work is not covered so that you can take a trip or CBI. We will be monitoring this closely.

Payroll and Union Dues

We are aware of the recurring problems with payroll and dues deductions. Some employees may have been contacted by payroll because their union dues deductions were incorrect following the transition from Munis to Skynet (Skyward).

It is important for everyone to review their paychecks and make sure your hours, rate of pay, and deductions are accurate.

In addition, some employees were paid for the Fourth of July when they should not have been. Payroll has been contacting employees and resolving those issues, as well. If they haven’t contacted you yet, please expect them to.

Stay safe, stay informed, and know your contract.

Thank you,

Laura Taets

DUTU President