Strike Averted at Mile Square

Less than 48 hours before TWU members at Mile Square School Bus were to walk off the job in a long simmering contract dispute, the union and the company reached a tentative settlement that has been unanimously endorsed by the negotiating committee.

On Thursday the Mile Square membership had overwhelming voted to strike on Monday rather than consider the company’s “last and final” offer from earlier in the week.

Company owner, Harry Rodriguez, reached out to Local 100 President John Samuelsen and Administrative Vice President Angel Giboyeaux early this morning (Saturday, May 17, 2014) and asked for new talks.

Giboyeaux quickly assembled the negotiating committee and the two sides met at the union’s satellite office on Saw Mill River Rd. in Yonkers for several hours.

The announcement of a settlement came at noon.

On Friday afternoon, an emergency session of the Local 100 Executive Board convened to authorize the strike. The vote was 38-0 to approve the job action. Details on ratification will be announced early this week.

Photo: Local 100 Administrative VP Angel Giboyeaux shakes hands with Mile Square owner Harry Rodriguez, accompanied by the Mile Square negotiating committee, Division Chair Laura McLoughlin and organizer Frank McCann, Jr. Not pictured: Executive Board member Hector Cartagena, Union Rep Gus Moghrabi, and staffer Dylan Valle.