DATTCO Smithfield Workers Secure Major Gains in New Union Agreement

Success for DATTCO School Bus Workers: Major Improvements in New Contract

In an impressive show of unity and negotiation power, school bus workers at DATTCO Smithfield, represented by Teamsters Local 251, have secured a new three-year agreement marked by substantial wage increases and enhanced job benefits.

The newly ratified contract promises a wage increase exceeding 30%, integrates workers into the Teamsters health care program, and provides entry into the New England Teamsters Pension Fund. These gains come as significant milestones for the 44 members who organized with Local 251 back in 2020, achieving their first contract by early 2022. When DATTCO assumed the transportation contract in 2023, they upheld the original agreement, paving the way for this newly strengthened contract.

“Teamsters at DATTCO Smithfield have once again proven what collective power can deliver,” commented Matt Taibi, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 251 and Director of the Teamsters Passenger Transportation Division. He went on to emphasize the ongoing efforts of Teamsters in the passenger transportation industry to elevate working standards and secure the recognition deserved by those ensuring safe school transportation.

The success in Smithfield is part of a broader trend of victories for DATTCO Teamsters throughout Rhode Island and Connecticut. Over the past year, workers at various DATTCO locations including East Hartford, Bloomfield, and Middletown in Connecticut, as well as Smithfield and Burrillville in Rhode Island, have celebrated stronger contracts and better benefits.

David Malone, a bus driver and member of Local 251, highlighted the importance of the new agreement, stating, “This new agreement is a significant win for everyone involved. It’s a clear acknowledgement of how essential drivers and attendants are to students and our community.”

Teamsters Local 251, representing over 6,300 workers across different sectors in Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts, continues to be a driving force for worker rights. For further details, visit teamsters251.org.