by Cris Italia
"I just want to take every precaution, and make sure parents know what we will be doing in case a strike occurs," Brown said. Although he didn't release specifics of the contract negotiations between the district and the Atlantic Express Bus Company, he said that a strike is not out of the realm of possibility. "At this point we just don't know."
The Atlantic Express Bus Company, which provides buses and drivers daily for Oceanside, has not settled a contract with the Transportation Workers Union. "Although we hope it will not come to pass, there exists the possibility of a drivers' strike, which would obviously have a profound effect on our ability to transport children to and from school," Brown said in the letter to parents.
Although Brown was up in the air about whether an agreement will be reached, Atlantic Express Vice President George Keller is confident that a deal can be made. "We are pretty confident that there won't be a strike," he said. "So far we are pretty close in negotiations. I don't see us not getting something done."
As of press time on Monday, the two sides were still trying to hammer out a deal. The contract dispute focuses largely on what Keller calls "the usual": fringe benefits, higher salaries and better working hours.
For now, Oceanside students are safe, but they should be prepared if the drivers do strike. "We are counting on our contractor and his drivers to continue to provide us with safe, uninterrupted service, but I must be mindful of the need for contingency plans should a work stoppage occur," Brown said.
JH
