First Student Teamsters across the country are uniting to win a stronger National Master Agreement and getting ready for a strike authorization vote that starts on Saturday, February 21. Ballots will be counted on March 9. Voting YES will increase our union’s leverage to win a good contract.

The First Student National Master Agreement is set to expire on March 31, 2026.  

National bargaining brings together Teamsters from hundreds of First Student shops to set nationwide standards for over 18,000 First Student Teamsters. 

What the National Agreement is — and Why It Matters

First Student Teamsters work under hundreds of local contracts. But they all are covered by a National Master Agreement that sets minimum standards across the company.

Key issues on the table include raising minimum daily guaranteed hours and increasing the minimum number of paid days off, mandatory company contributions to retirement, and healthcare improvements to offset rising costs.

The current National Agreement largely functions as a framework governing bargaining procedures. 

The goal in 2026 is to strengthen the National Agreement so it sets real, enforceable standards higher than those in many local supplemental agreements.

The National Agreement does not replace local bargaining — they shape the floor on which local contracts are built. The gains we win nationally can strengthen local enforcement and bargaining leverage.

If the National Agreement secures improvements beyond what a local contract currently provides, the company is required to honor those higher standards. 

How the Strike Authorization Vote Will Work

Information and instructions to participate in the strike authorization vote will be mailed to all eligible members on Friday, February 20. 

There will also be a text message sent to all eligible members. Voting officially opens on Saturday, February 21. All votes must be received by Monday, March 9, in order to be counted. 

We urge all First Student Teamsters to Vote Yes to authorize a strike. A “Yes” vote does not mean there will be a strike. 

It gives our union more leverage at the bargaining table to win the improvements that members deserve.

Members who do not receive voting information and instructions should contact their local union office to request a voter access code. A voter access code may be requested through Friday March 6.

Instructions on how to vote will be included in the ballot package. 

Get Informed, Involved and United

Strong national agreements are not won by negotiators alone. They are won when members across the country stay informed, organized, and connected.

The International Union has produced an online FAQ and contract updates in English and Spanish that members can distribute Teamster to Teamster. 

Pass out this information. Answer members' questions. Encourage everyone to Vote Yes in the strike authorization vote. 

Click here to get involved in organizing for a good contract at First Student, and a TDU organizer will get in touch with you. 

“We are voting YES in strike authorization vote because the company won’t budge unless we show them we’re united.”

—Jean August, First Student

Providence, Rhode Island