Thousands march in support of New York bus drivers (Video)

On Sunday, thousands rallied at Cadman Plaza in Brooklyn and then marched across the Brooklyn Bridge to support New York's striking school bus drivers. 

Digital Journal reported on January 16 that more than 8,000 bus drivers and aides went on strike in New York City that day. As a result, some 152,000 parents struggled to find their children transportation to school. 

Due to the fact that the union is blaming New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg for refusing to negotiate, the strike is still ongoing, nearly four weeks later. As part of an ongoing strike for job protections, school bus drivers, matrons, mechanics and supporters got together in New York on Sunday afternoon to march across Brooklyn Bridge. This was followed by more than 1,000 members of the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) rallying near City Hall.

Reportedly, city officials say it is illegal to offer job protections in contracts. The strikers are calling Mayor Michael Bloomberg “heartless” as the city prepares to open competitive bidding for new contracts. Bloomberg wishes to strip the drivers of job protections that have existed in the city for nearly half a century.

A Staten Island driver, John Scotto said, “We’re not asking for one benefit, or 10 cents. It’s simply for the right to come back to work in September.”

One of the protesters was Noah Gotbaum, a Manhattan widower raising three children with special needs, one of whom was being bused to public school. The other two take public transportation. Gotbaum said that the city is “trying to cut costs and the workers are saying, `If you want to squeeze the profits of the bus companies, that’s fine. But stop trying to lower the bids on the backs of the workers.’"

Gotbaum stressed that guaranteeing job security would lead to attracting and keeping workers with more experience. “I need and count on these folks every single day,” he said. “They’re as important to me as the teachers.” 

The event was called only two days earlier. Sponsors of the march included the ATU, New York Communities for Change, and Parents to Improve School Transportation.

The video was made and uploaded to YouTube by Occupy TVNY.

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/343250