Baldwin eyes possible school bus strike

Baldwin school officials were making contingency plans in case of a possible school bus strike this week.

In a letter posted on the district’s website Tuesday, Superintendent Shari L. Camhi noted that if a strike occurs it could “disrupt bus service for up to 300 children in our district.”

The company involved, Acme Buses, provides mostly small buses to the district, and a spokesman for Baumann & Sons Buses of Ronkonkoma, which owns Acme, said the majority of its contracts are not with entire school districts, but with parts of them.

Still, Camhi noted, a strike could affect all students who travel on Acme buses to Meadow and Plaza elementary schools, Baldwin Middle School, Baldwin High School and Hastings Academy. She noted that private or parochial students could also be affected in the event of a walkout.

The two sides in the labor disputed sat at the bargaining table Wednesday and were to continue to talk on Thursday.

Jim Poisella Jr., human resources director for Baumann & Sons, said Tuesday afternoon, “We’ve been in federal negotiations since last week. There’s another meeting scheduled for this afternoon with the company and the union and a federal mediator.”

He said both sides in the talks have agreed to stay at the bargaining table. “So the only way it would sour is if one party or the other decides to disassociate themselves with the mediator. Hopefully, with the mediator, the company and the union will cooperate.”

But he added, “Whether that [a settlement] can be accomplished this afternoon, I don’t know. The company is committed to the mediation process. “We’re not going to walk away from it.”

A spokesman for the union, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 1205, could not be reached for comment.

Poisella cautioned, “We won’t know what the final disposition is if there is no set time frame. It’s up to how successful the mediator is in bridging the gaps between us and the union.”

He said “economic” issues, including wages and health insurance contributions, as well as working conditions as stumbling blocks to a contract.

In Baldwin, Camhi’s letter to families cited the district’s concern about the impact of a possible strike.

“We are in the process of trying to secure alternate transportation to bus our affected students safely in the event of a strike, but many school districts could be affected, and it is unclear at this point whether adequate coverage could be secured immediately,” she wrote.

She expressed the hope that a strike would be avoided, but stressed that student safety was paramount to the district. “We will continue to update you as information becomes known. If you have any questions and/or concerns, please contact the transportation office at 516-377-9270.”

In addition, Baldwin spokeswoman Cristina Schmohl said the website, baldwinschools.org, would be updated, as would the district’s Facebook page.