Majority of Tacoma bus drivers return to work after 3-day sick-out

After a three-day sick out in protest of poor work conditions, a majority of the Tacoma bus drivers who called out sick this week has returned to work.

Tacoma Public Schools confirmed all but four drivers reported to work Thursday morning.

“We’re essentially back to normal with delays on four routes,” Tacoma Public Schools communications director Dan Voelpel wrote in a message to The News Tribune Thursday morning.

Bus drivers employed by the district called out sick earlier this week in an effort to get the district’s attention about poor wages and work conditions. Twenty-four called out Monday, 26 called out Tuesday and 22 called out Wednesday.

“We want to be at work but nothing was changing, only getting worse,” bus driver Sheryl Armstrong wrote in Facebook messages to The News Tribune. “We needed to get the district’s attention, and it is obvious they weren’t listening to our words.”

The union representing the bus drivers, International Union of Operating Engineers Local 286, wrote a letter to the drivers Tuesday stating they do not condone work stoppages unauthorized by the union.

“In the event these absences are not due to illness, but some type of concerted activity, this is in violation of the collective bargaining agreement and you will be expected to report back to work immediately or face disciplinary action,” wrote union representative Margie Englund.

It is not clear why the drivers returned to work. The union could not be reached for comment Thursday morning.