Local 1700 members who stood up and made their voices heard when Greyhound began dressing up Americanos drivers in Greyhound uniforms last month did get the company’s attention. Work out of Dallas that had been directly transferred to Americanos has been returned to real Greyhound drivers, and the company has agreed to negotiations with the union not just over Greyhound Express work in the Southwest, but they’ve agreed to bargain for a comprehensive deal that we hope will get us onto the right road nationally for the next few years.
In the upcoming contract negotiations we fully intend to fight for all the work that is rightfully ours. But nothing is ever won at the bargaining table that members didn’t fight for on the job. The lesson of Texas is clear: There is no substitute for rank and file action. We need to build nationally on the momentum that members in the Southwest got going.
During the next few weeks the Contract Action Committees will be up and running again. The first thing they’ll be responsible for will be gathering members’ ideas in bargaining surveys.
Local 1700 members sacrificed hugely when Greyhound was on the skids. Now intercity bus transportation is bouncing back. This moment presents a great opportunity for us to begin making up for lost ground. Stay tuned.