School Bus Drivers Refuse to Buckle Under Lakeland Charges

 

Marina Viera and Karen Echeverria have a combined 25 years under their belts as bus drivers transporting school children safely for the Lakeland School District.

However, both have found themselves suspended with pay since February for charges they allege are unfounded and retaliation stemming from a union dispute where Viera led the charge for about 70 other drivers.

“It was a set up,” said Viera, a bus driver for 16 years. “It’s harassment. They’re using it as a harassment tactic. I know how to ruffle feathers.”

Viera contended she and Echeverria, who started working for Lakeland in the kitchen of a school in 2003 and began driving a bus in 2007, were targeted by district administrators, specifically Transportation Supervisor Kathleen Cummings, after she and others filed a petition in April 2015 to remove some union representatives over alleged “improper procedures.” Those improper procedures, according to Viera, involved a driver climbing the seniority ladder to choose a route in front of other deserving drivers.

A complaint was also filed by Viera and a handful of others with the state Public Employees Relations Board.

Ironically, Viera and Echeverria, both Cortlandt residents, were on different sides of the union fight, since Echeverria was a union representative at the time, but Viera claimed the district used Echeverria as a scapegoat and filed charges against her for not checking the bus before and after her route and dropping off a student in the wrong location.

“They bully and intimidate everyone,” Echeverria alleged. “We didn’t even know this was coming. In my case they wanted to scare me.”

On February 4, 2016, Viera was formally charged by Lakeland Superintendent of Schools Dr. George Stone with 15 counts of “misconduct and/or incompetence,” alleging she took unauthorized 15-20 minute breaks several days in November 2015 during her morning route after all her student passengers were dropped off.

Viera maintained the breaks for coffee and bathroom needs were commonplace among bus drivers and did not constitute a “theft of time,” as the district alleged. Echeverria was also charged on February 4, 2016 and the pair were suspended with pay.

“This is ridiculous when you’re responsible for the safety of 75 children. Petty stuff,” Viera said. “I knew they were coming after me because of the PERB. I was challenging every move they made.”

Stone declined to address any specifics with Viera and Echeverria but issued a statement on behalf of the district.

“The District prides itself on its fair employment practices. All employees are treated with respect and dignity and where applicable, provided with due process,” Stone stated. “However, in order to protect our employees’ privacy, it is the District’s policy not to comment publicly on pending personnel matters.”

“As a general matter, however, the District does not punish, discriminate or harass its employees,” he continued, “it does, however, expect our employees to at all times conduct themselves professionally and in accordance with applicable directives, laws and regulations covering their employment.”

Viera and Echeverria both said they have always received favorable employee evaluations from the district. They contended male drivers were treated differently by the district than females, saying one male driver was promoted after being involved in a hit-and-run accident with a school bus.

“Men can do no wrong,” Viera remarked. “Because men don’t speak out as much as we do they try to go under the radar.”

Meanwhile, Viera, who said Lakeland has offered her “a deal” about seven times to settle her case, alleged some records involving job classifications were changed by the district to benefit certain employees.

“It was done as a favor,” Viera alleged. “To them it means nothing. To us it means everything. It’s all about money.”

Viera and Echeverria both were subjected to administrative hearings with the district this summer where the arbitrator was reportedly paid about $1,600 per day. No decisions have been rendered. In the meantime, they both were put back on Lakeland’s payroll in September following the summer recess and each are currently employed driving buses with other companies (Viera with Montauk in the Putnam Valley School District and Echeverria with Hudson Valley Charter).

Viera, Echeverria and other drivers have filed human rights charges against the district with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

“What do I have to lose?” said Echeverria, 66. “I don’t like what they’re doing to other people. I have to sue somebody because they defamed my character.”