Union Rallies for Dismissed School Bus Driver

APRIL 20 -- TWU Local 100 stepped up on behalf of a Greenwich, CT school bus driver mistreated by district bureaucrats.

About 50 TWU Local 100 officers and members marched into the Greenwich Board of Education meeting where Local 100 President Richard Davis and Division Chair Gus Moghrabi blasted school administrators for removing Nadia Micourt from service after 23 years on the job without a single accident. A school administrator claimed she observed Micourt cross the yellow line multiple times on March 31– and unilaterally decertified Micourt days later, meaning she can’t drive in the district.

A flyer painting the school deputy superintendent as a bully was widely circulated at the event. NBC-TV was one of several news outlets that covered the story.

President Richard Davis told the school board: “The bottom line is this: Nadia had her job taken away based on this one alleged observation. No prior warning. No ability to defend herself. No hearing. No due process. Nothing. Nadia was treated like a second-class citizen – and that is completely unacceptable. To us, this treatment shows a complete lack of respect, not just for Nadia, but for all school bus drivers. This too is unacceptable.”

School Bus Division Chair Gus Moghrabi vigorously defended our Driver. Local 100 urged the Board of Education to intervene. Davis suggested the board agree to take the issue to an independent mediator.

Local 100’s contract is with First Student, a school transportation company. It includes a progressive disciplinary structure leading up to arbitration to settle disputes over discipline. First Student’s own contract with the district, however, gives administrators the authority to decertify a driver without such a process. School Board Chairman Joe Kelly said he would discuss the issue further with Local 100. FirstSelectman Fred Camillo also offered to assist in finding a mutually agreeable resolution.

The fight isn’t over, Davis said to the media assembled at a Local 100 press conference outside the meeting. “TWU is a militant union,” he said. “We will be fighting for our members day in and day, and will continue to do so, until we get justice here.”

Nadia, appearing with her daughter and son, became emotional when asked about the big show of support from her co-workers in this fight. “I love them,” she said. “I’d do the same for them.