More than 100 bus drivers peacefully marched to the Brownsville Independent School District where they made impassioned cases against not receiving raises over the past three years,
The heart of their argument: Why target the district's lowest earning employees?
"We brought a petition so the board can know what we want. Because we have a lot of work and our benefits are being cut day by day. Back in the day we started with 10 paid vacations days and it went to 8 and then 5,” said BISD bus driver Sergio Guerrero.
Bus drivers who spoke up Tuesday pointed out they only get paid for nine months of work per year forcing most to turn to part-time summer jobs, which they say are not easy to come by.
"And as a school bus driver we can't claim unemployment. We're trying to get help from them because it's very hard during the summer months to have our families suffer like that,” added Guerrero.
While BISD Interim Superintendent Dr. Carl Montoya has called the cuts a tough choice, he's made it clear he wants to work with the employees and come to an agreement.
"We will revisit those areas and look at our budget. It will be done a little quicker than the previously mentioned three months. We will see where in the budget is there money to restore that area.”
Dr. Montoya said the bus drivers vacations days were cut to offset the budget cuts passed on to them by the state.
But he added the district will do everything it can to meet the needs of all their employees.
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forKGBT