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  • Teamsters Local 391 Bus Driver's Fiery Speech Outside Governor McCrory's Office
    Updated On: Aug 236, 2014

    Teamsters Local 391 participated in the NAACP NC Day of Action on Friday, August 22 outside of Governor Pat McCrory's office at the Old Capitol Building in downtown Raleigh.  Valerie King, a Wake County Public Schools bus driver and proud Teamsters Local 391 member, gave the following speech:

    My name is Valerie King and I am public school bus driver for Wake County Public Schools and a proud member of Teamsters Local 391.

     

    I stand before you today representing bus drivers, custodians, bus monitors, mechanics, nutrition workers and other important public school jobs represented by the Teamsters.  

     

    As a bus driver, the state has vested in me the responsibility to deliver your children safely to school and home each day, of ensuring a safe and welcoming environment and providing safety for other drivers on the road.  

     

    But this General Assembly has not invested in me a living wage that is equal to the responsibilities I have been given and proudly carry out each and everyday.  

     

    This year, like every year the General Assembly is in session, winners and losers were chosen.  Public school workers — those of us who are not public school teachers — were chosen as the losers this year. 

     

    Let me be clear:  If I drove a bus for state government, I would receive a $1,000 raise plus 5 bonus days this year in the budget.  But because I work in the public schools I am getting only $500 and no bonus days.  If I worked in the Department of Revenue, I would have gotten a $1,000.  If I worked in the Governor’s Mansion, I would have gotten a $1,000.  I work with children.  I recieve only $500.  

     

    This is the first time in modern history that classified school employees were treated differently from other state employees in the budget.  I have sacrificed like other state employees and teachers for 5 years with no pay increase. 

     

    We talk about fighting poverty, but does anyone ever stop to ask about the bus drivers and the custodians and the nutrition workers and our children who are your poor?  Have we ever thought to ask why a state government is paying poverty wages?  Have we ever thought that instead of servicing poverty that we for once try to end poverty?    

     

    My coworkers and I are furious with lawmakers over the inequity in pay increases adopted in this year’s budget.  We all have important jobs to do in our communities and we all deserve a living wage.  

     

    Let’s stand together.

    You can watch Valerie's speech in this video showing on the William Barber YouTube channel.  Valerie's speech begins approximately at the 25-minute, 45-second mark.  


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