Collier school district to layoff 45 bus drivers, attendants

By KATHERINE LEWIS
Sunday, June 22, 2008

School is not in session yet, but 45 Collier County School District employees will not be working by the new school year.

The district confirmed it will layoff 20 bus drivers and 25 bus attendants. Chief Operations Officer Michele LaBute said in an e-mail that the district determined it could reduce the number of bus routes for the 2008-09 school year during an annual efficiency review of the routes and occupancy.

“School districts throughout our state have experienced significant budget reductions this year and will receive even deeper budget reductions next year. In total, our school district has lost over $20 million in two years and the outlook for 2009-10 is not good,” reads a letter sent to the drivers and the attendants Friday.

LaBute said that the reduction in force came as the district was looking to cut routes due to a decrease in student enrollment.

District spokesman Joe Landon said in an e-mail that the district would reduce the number of bus routes from 275 at the end of the 2007-08 school year to 259.

“We will still be making all the stops we did last year, but with fewer buses,” he wrote. “No stops will be eliminated.”

In a letter to the 45 employees, district officials informed the employees that they will be employed until Monday, Aug. 18, which is the day before school starts for the 2008-09 school year.

Randy Pines, chief negotiator for Teamsters Local 79, said the union was informed about the reduction in the work force Friday before the letters went out to the employees.

“We just found out, so the information we have is still sketchy,” he said. “I am concerned about the attendants being gone and what effect this will have on the children.”

The 25 bus attendants are placed on buses to help exceptional education students who might need help while on the school bus. LaBute said the district is not reducing the number of students who get the attendant on the bus. She said those are determined by the student’s individualized education plan. She said the district is just changing the method by which it assigns runs to the attendants, which reduces the number of attendants needed.

LaBute said the reductions were based on seniority level of the employees. She said as vacancies occur during the year, the employees who have been let go will have the first right to the vacant positions, as per contract.

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