PRIVATE FIRM WILL OPERATE BUSES DISTRICT, DRIVERS REACH AGREEMENT.

Byline: Marci Wormser Staff Writer

LANCASTER - A Saugus-based bus company will begin taking over Eastside Union School District bus routes in February after district officials reached a settlement with school bus drivers and mechanics.

The drivers and mechanics union had resisted privatizing school bus services, which district officials say could save them a sizable sum annually but which threatened the workers' jobs.

``We're trying to (cut) money as far away from the kids as we can,'' board member Martha Johnson said. ``We don't want to take the teachers out of the classroom ... We don't want to cut on the class-size reduction.''

Eastside trustees voted unanimously to hire Student Transportation of America of Saugus for a three-year contract at a special board meeting Monday night.

The meeting was held to beat a deadline for a new state law, effective Jan. 1, that would have made it more difficult to contract out bus services, said board trustee Martha Johnson.

The legislation requires school officials to analyze potential cost savings, forbids the private firm from paying workers less than industry standards and forbids the layoff or demotions of school employees as a result of the contract.

Monday's board vote was made possible by an agreement reached with the California School Employees Association, the union representing the district's 17 drivers and mechanics. The union and district officials had been at an impasse for months.

``The union took its time trying to negotiate with us because they knew the first was coming up,'' school board President Janette Crawford said.

Under the agreement, drivers and mechanics can choose between staying with the district, working for STA, taking an early retirement if they are 55 or older, or quitting for a $7,500 severance package, Crawford said.

Employees who go to work for STA will be guaranteed their present pay through 2004, with the district making up the difference from what STA pays.

However, STA will not be able to guarantee the workers' hours, Johnson said.

The employees must decide by Jan. 21 which option to take.

Bus drivers and mechanics who stay with the district are expected to fill positions left vacant in anticipation of the changeover, Crawford said.

Eastside Superintendent Colleen Larson said most of the drivers will probably opt to stay with the district.

``We're understanding that many of them don't want to go with STA,'' she said. ``They will stay with our district, especially the ones with seniority.''

CSEA labor relations representative Jim Brough said the agreement was good for Eastside's drivers and mechanics.

``We got everything we wanted,'' Brough said. ``As far as I'm concerned and as far as the workers are concerned, it was a tremendous victory.''

On Feb. 1, STA will take over eight of the district's 22 bus routes. On July 1, the company will take over the remaining routes, Johnson said.

The contract is expected to save the district about $300,000 over three years, Larson said.