Bus Strike Updates

School Hours

Tuesday, Sep 5 at 1:01 PM Meriden Public Schools

Dear MPS Families, Students, and Staff,

Thank you very much for all of your support as we navigated the bus strike. While Meriden Public Schools was not a party in the dispute, we worked closely with New Britain Transportation and Teamsters Local 671 to help resolve the strike quickly.

We are pleased to share that our buses will be back in operation tomorrow, Wednesday, September 6, 2023.

Thank you to the bus drivers for all they do for our students, and we are glad to welcome them back.

Thanks again,

Rob Kosienski, Jr.
BOE President

Mark D. Benigni, Ed.D.
Superintendent

Friday, Sep 1 at 2:35 PM

Hello Meriden Public School Families,

Thank you for all of your support and assistance today. It was great to see the community come together to support one another. I am pleased to share that we had over 89% of our students attend school today. I am so proud of our students, staff, and families.

As many members of the Meriden Public Schools community know, transportation of students to our schools was disrupted today by a strike of school bus drivers called by the Teamsters against the bus contractor, New Britain Transportation. We recognize that this strike is imposing significant challenges on parents and caregivers, and we will continue to work with families as follows:

First, we believe that New Britain Transportation will be able to provide transportation for all children in special education programs who have specialized transportation in their IEP next Tuesday and after. Drivers of vehicles used for such transportation are not covered by the labor contract in dispute and they are not striking.

Second, we do not believe that New Britain Transportation will be able to provide transportation on Tuesday to students who receive regular transportation. Accordingly, we continue to encourage families that are able to do so to drive their children to school on Tuesday. We will continue to have staff available to open all of our schools an hour early and keep them open an hour later so that parents and caregivers can drop their children off before the normal time and pick their children up after the normal dismissal time.

Third, we understand that it may not be possible for some families to get their children to school safely without district-provided transportation. For those families, we are planning to offer supplemental and remedial services on the weekends if the transportation problems continue. We will reach out to you next week with more information should that be necessary. In any event, student absences next week will be excused.

Finally, though the Meriden Board of Education is not a party to the contract dispute between New Britain Transportation and the Teamsters, we are doing all we can to work with both parties to find a way to resume transportation services to our families as soon as possible.

The situation is challenging and changing hourly. We will send ParentSquare messages to all families as soon as we have any new information. Also, updates will be posted on the district website, https://www.meridenk12.org/.

We appreciate your cooperation while we make every effort to restore reliable transportation for our students and families.

Thank you for all of your support!

Sincerely,

Mark D. Benigni, Ed.D.

Superintendent

Thursday, Aug 31 at 10:15 AM

Dear Meriden Families,

The Meriden Public Schools have been notified that the Teamsters, representing the school bus drivers for the Meriden Public Schools, will strike tomorrow, September 1 with the expiration of its collective bargaining agreement with New Britain Transportation. Nonetheless, we will be holding school tomorrow Friday, September 1, whether or not there is a strike. We recognize that a strike by the Teamsters will impose significant challenges on the entire Meriden schools community, and we will work with our families to deal with the expected disruption to the transportation services as follows:

First, we note that any strike will not likely affect the transportation we provide to children who attend specialized special education programs on Friday, September 1, because drivers of those vehicles are not covered by the union contract that is expiring. Families will be notified and staff members will be in touch with families of these children to confirm that normal transportation services will be provided tomorrow.

Second, as to students receiving regular transportation, we encourage families that are able to do so to drive their children to school on Friday. The ability of New Britain Transportation to fulfill its obligation to provide transportation during a strike by drivers is in serious doubt.

Third, we will have staff available to open all of our schools an hour early and keep them open an hour later so that parents and caregivers can drop their children off before the normal time and pick their children up after the normal dismissal time.

Fourth, we understand that it may not be possible for some families to transport their children to school. The Meriden Police Department will have extra patrols out tomorrow for students who are able to walk to school safely. However, the safety of our students is of utmost importance, and please do not ask your children to walk to school or seek alternative transportation to school unless that can be done safely. Student absences on Friday will be excused and there will be opportunities to make up work.

Finally, we do not know whether the strike will continue after the holiday weekend on Tuesday and the days following. We will send ParentSquare messages to all families as soon as we have any information. Also, updates will be posted on the district website, https://www.meridenk12.org/.

We value our partnership with parents and caregivers, and we deeply regret that a dispute between New Britain Transportation and the Teamsters have put at risk our ability to provide transportation tomorrow to our students. We appreciate your cooperation in this matter, and we are doing all we can to promptly restore reliable transportation for our students and families.

Thank you for all of your support.

Sincerely,

Mark D. Benigni, Ed.D.
Superintendent