School bus drivers go on strike in Coventry

School bus drivers who work for M&J are on Tuesday in Coventry.

Residents were warned to prepare for more traffic in the morning since so many more people would be driving to school and students would also be walking to school.

In Coventry, the school staff is available for early drop-offs and late pickups.

The district also said student absences will be excused while the strike takes place. School officials said there will be opportunities to make up work.

This strike with M&J and the Coventry drivers is happening after contract negotiations stalled.

“They transport the most precious cargo in the world,” Eric Downer, a Local Teamsters 671 business agent, said. “They have to go through CDL training. They have to go through six hours of safety training a year. They have to go through federal background checks, drug testing, you know, so they're held to a high standard of professionalism, and they deserve to be compensated as such.”

Kathy Zima has been a school bus driver for 23 years, getting to know families and watching children grow up.

“We are passionate about what we do. We transport people's precious babies each and every day, in all kinds of weather. I, I feel like we become their caretakers for the short time that we have them,” she said.

Parents and grandparents are preparing for a long haul and say they support the drivers.

Meg Riding, a Coventry grandparent, said they would carpool and pick each other’s children up and take them to or from school.

Some parents said they are supportive of the drivers, but said not having buses would be a huge inconvenience.

“It is a hassle,” Katie Milkie, a parent in Coventry, said. “It’s rough because I’m late for work right now.”

She said it took an hour with traffic to drop her child off at Coventry Grammar School.

“I think a lot of carpooling, a lot of friends, neighbors helping out each other so we can do what we can do to get our kids to school," said Gael Goshdigian, of Coventry.

Even in Stafford, there have been signs the drivers there will strike. The district told parents to be prepared in case those M&J drivers also join the picket lines in support.

Drivers might extend their picket lines to Bolton, Willington and Stafford. but they haven’t done so yet.

In Bolton, the school superintendent said while the Bolton contract with M&J is not up now, she has been told, "Bolton drivers will also strike and refuse to work as a sign of support for the teamsters drivers in Coventry."

NBC Connecticut has reached out to M&J, but hasn't heard back.