DISTRICT URGES END TO BUS DRIVERS' STRIKE.

Byline: Sonia Giordani Staff Writer

Concerned over a prolonged strike by more than 800 school bus drivers, the Los Angeles board of education passed a resolution Tuesday encouraging Laidlaw and its picketing bus operators to go back to the bargaining table and reach a speedy resolution.

More than 150 bus drivers filled the board room at Los Angeles Unified School District headquarters to press the district to take a more active role in resolving the dispute between the drivers and Laidlaw, LAUSD's largest outside bus contractor.

San Fernando Valley board member Julie Korenstein introduced the motion, saying that the drivers' walk-out continues to adversely affect LAUSD's schoolchildren by making them late to morning classes or forcing them to miss after-school enrichment programs and sporting events.

Korenstein's original motion proved controversial. It passed on a 6-1 vote only after board members haggled over its wording for more than 45 minutes and ultimately decided to take out one word - ``wage.''

Some board members feared that Korenstein's original motion that drivers ``have a right to a living wage'' would suggest the district would be taking sides.

As amended, the resolution notes that many bus drivers are parents of LAUSD schoolchildren and ``have the right to earn a living.''

Laidlaw and negotiators from Teamsters Local 572 representing the drivers tried to settle a months-long dispute last week, but talks broke down on Friday, sinking hopes that bus drivers would return to work Monday.