Renton School District families and community members: we need your help!

Our bus drivers, nutrition service workers, district mechanics, maintenance workers, and warehouse workers, all members of AFT Renton, Local 6367, are being treated with a total lack of respect by Renton School District. The workers are trying to bargain in good faith a contract that will ensure their jobs are doable and that they receive a living wage.

During the pandemic closure, AFT members in local 6367 were the only group to be furloughed and have their hours slashed, which resulted in many of these employees being unable to stay in these positions; we lost many essential service providers in the midst of a shortage.

Now, at a time where there has been no relief from this shortage, the Renton School District is ignoring these workers’ efforts to get a pay raise even close to what they have given others, which would simply keep the local’s members at a livable wage.

This refusal to even bargain genuinely fair pay means that there is no relief for the shortages in these positions, and we are liable to lose even more people from these jobs. The Renton School District is putting students and staff at risk by refusing to earnestly bargain for fair pay.

These are the workers who feed your children and take them to school. They are the people who ensure our buildings are warm, and our classrooms have desks. Shortages in these positions means children who cannot get to school. It means schools that cannot meet students’ basic needs.

Renton School District is not treating these staff members with a fraction of the respect they deserve, and we cannot stand idly by while this happens.

Stand up for our bus drivers, nutrition services providers, maintenance, and warehouse workers by adding your voice to the demand that the Renton School District settle a fair contract and treat the AFT classified workers who serve our students and community with respect.