FAQs

Zum’s pay and benefits are far better than the last union-negotiated contract for SLPS bus drivers – without expensive union dues. If the unions lose the election, Zum will continue to do what it always has done – provide a safe and stable work environment with highly competitive pay and benefits.

No, that’s not true.  If you and enough of your co-workers vote “No,” all that happens is the unions lose the election.  We would never fire any employee based on how they voted, and nobody – not us, not the unions – will know how you voted.

No.  Even if you signed a card, you could vote “No” in the election.  The election is a secret ballot process.  No one will know how you voted unless you tell them.  If anyone tells you otherwise, they are not telling you the truth.

A signed card does not require you to ultimately support a union or vote in favor of a union.  At this point, you should vote “No” if you decide a union is not for you.

No.  All a union can do is represent you at the bargaining table.  There is no guarantee that Zum would agree to any of a union’s demands.  While Zum would bargain in good faith, we would only agree to those items that we as a company believe are in the best interest of the business.

Union organizers can and will make promises to you and other employees to try to get your vote.  If an organizer promises you anything, ask for that promise in writing.  For example, ask them to put in writing that no one pays dues and see what their reaction is.

No.  Zum’s wages are already higher than “union wages.” We pay our St. Louis drivers and monitors more than the Laborers union negotiated with the previous vendor, our predecessor, for 2025-2026 – without charging union dues.

Zum will always pay competitive wages regardless of whether there is a union. If there is a union, Zum would negotiate in good faith on any wage issue but Zum can say no to any demand that doesn’t make sense for the business and for our employees.

By law, Zum would not have to agree to any of a union’s demands.

No. A union cannot guarantee you anything. Zum gives you your job.  If an employee does something seriously wrong, which gives Zum a reason to fire the employee, a union can’t keep us from doing that. Unions may claim they can provide “job security,” but in actuality they can’t.  All employees face performance coaching, including up to being fired, if they don’t meet our expectations. But, as you know, Zum doesn’t just fire employees for no reason.

Like the old saying goes – “it is easier to get married than divorced.” The law basically guarantees that once a union is voted in, it cannot be voted out for at least a year.  Even then, it is very hard to vote out a union.

You can’t just “try on” the union.  If the union wins the election, ZUM would have to bargain with the union for at least one year before employees could try to get rid of the union.  It doesn’t matter if you voted or not.  You would be covered.  If you don’t want the changes and uncertainty of having a union, you should vote “No” and encourage your coworkers to vote “No” too.

Dues are mandatory fees that union members pay to their labor union, typically deducted from their paycheck, to financially support the union’s operations.

Maybe not.  A lot of contracts have a formal procedure saying that you speak to a union representative instead of Zum.  Then you might have to file what’s called a grievance against me or Zum.  If there’s no resolution, then it might actually have to go to a stranger – an outside person called an arbitrator – who would have a trial and make a decision.  Having a union would change relationships.