Alaska school bus strike ends with new agreement ratified

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A strike that disrupted school bus service for Alaska’s second largest district for more than a month has ended, with union members ratifying a new contract.

Most school bus service for the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District resumed Monday, a day after members of the Teamsters Local 959 voted to ratify a three-year contract negotiated with Durham School Services, Alaska Public Media reported. The district is roughly the size of West Virginia.

The local union in a statement said the contract “includes strong job protections and overall economic improvements, and tools to address safety issues at the workplace.”

Union members went on strike Jan. 31, citing pay and safety issues as concerns. Both sides announced a tentative agreement had been reached last week.

Durham’s parent company, Illinois-based National Express, in a statement Monday confirmed the strike had ended.

“We are looking forward to continuing to transport our students to and from school safely each day,” the statement said.