ATU Local 689 became aware of a tentative contract agreement reached between the Charles County Board of Education and the Charles County School Bus Contractors Association (CCSBCA) over the weekend. Unfortunately, the Union did not participate in the contract talks because the parties refused to include them, violating long established federal law and legal precedent. Local 689 is the exclusive bargaining agent on behalf of their members who are employees of the contractors. Because the Charles County Board of Education and CCSBCA refused to include Local 689, the new contract for the remainder of the school year was illegally negotiated and should be deemed null and void. 

Local 689 is outraged by this blatant and apparent purposeful disregard of their legal rights and violation of federal law. The CCSBCA did not bargain in good faith by cutting Local 689 out of the process and continues to show their disdain for federal labor law. Local 689 will pursue legal action against the school bus contractors that employ bargaining unit members. The Union is confident that the appropriate administrative agency will take swift action to rebuke the contractors’ illegal behavior and the appropriate sanctions will be imposed.