Drivers, staff and union representatives press board on pay, staffing and bargaining

A wave of public commenters at the Dec. 17 meeting urged the board to address transportation staffing, pay and working conditions and to respond to union‑organizing efforts.

Several drivers described long runs, loss of guaranteed hours when moved into assistant roles, delayed pay and safety concerns on buses. "Taking $5 from me is like a slap in the face," one driver said, describing lost pay after a reassignment. Joyce Blow, a driver with allergies and asthma, said spraying on buses caused vocal‑cord swelling and asked the district to prohibit spraying on buses where it risks allergic reactions. "Either somebody's gonna have a bad allergic reaction or asthma attack," she said.

Charles Jones and other bus drivers described pay and payroll timing problems, short staffing and a sense of disrespect in how veteran drivers are treated. Several drivers said runs have been consolidated, forcing staff into multiple runs and longer days.

Connor Collins, a teacher and chair of the organizing committee for the Newport News Education Association, told the board the organizing effort is approaching the threshold of 50% plus one of employees who have signed cards asking for collective bargaining rights. "We have multiple sites... approaching 70% and in some schools 80% of their employees have signed a card asking for collective bargaining rights," Collins said.

Board members acknowledged the public comments and the superintendent said administration will continue to review transportation operations, payroll timing and the issues raised by employees. No formal board action was taken during the meeting; staff follow‑up was requested.