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Collective bargaining is the legally required process where First Student and the Teamsters meet at reasonable times and negotiate in good faith.

While both sides must bargain in good faith, neither party is required to accept a proposal or make concessions. Outcomes cannot be predicted.

The current National Master First Student Agreement (NMFSA), renewed in 2021, expires on March 31, 2026. Representatives from First Student and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters are actively bargaining toward a new, fair agreement.

Throughout these negotiations, First Student will communicate openly and consistently, so you always have the latest information available. Details will be regularly updated here and through the First Connect portal.

Bargaining began in January 2026, and sessions will continue through the first quarter of the year leading up to the March 31 contract expiration. Regular meetings are being held in Washington, D.C., and additional dates will be added as needed.

The next bargaining sessions are scheduled for March 30 and 31.

At this point, ongoing negotiations are expected to continue as scheduled. Both parties remain engaged in the bargaining process, and First Student will continue working toward a timely and fair agreement while maintaining consistent communication as developments occur.

A collective bargaining agreement typically includes many distinct articles that must be reviewed and agreed upon by both parties before a contract is finalized.

The union may choose to share examples from other agreements it has negotiated; however, those contracts do not determine what will be included in a First Student agreement. Contract terms vary significantly across employers, locations, and bargaining units. The only agreement that will ultimately govern your wages, benefits, and working conditions is the one negotiated between First Student and the Teamsters for your specific bargaining unit.

The National Master Agreement establishes standardized terms and conditions of employment across covered locations. Local operations are bound by the general terms negotiated at the national level, even though operational realities, market conditions, and business needs may differ by location and are represented in the details of each local agreement.

The National Master First Student Agreement (NMFSA) is the national agreement between First Student and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (Teamsters) that sets broad conditions and uniform expectations for union-represented employees. It sets general expectations at the national level but does not determine the specific economic or operational terms in each location’s contract.

Local contracts are not replaced by the NMFSA. They remain fully in effect and are negotiated through local collective bargaining to address each location’s unique needs and conditions.

We at First Student believe decisions are best made at the individual location level to best meet conditions specific to you.

Local contracts remain the primary and most meaningful agreements for our employees. They are bargained locally, based on what each location’s employees, operations, and customers need—and they continue to govern daily working conditions.

Local agreements build on that foundation and reflect the unique needs of individual locations. Each local contract is managed by people who best understand their individual operations, employees, and community, and who are closest to the day-to-day realities of each location.

At First Student, we are committed to honoring local agreements and preserving the power our employees have through local collective bargaining. At the local level, employees are empowered to have a meaningful voice in determining what matters most to them and how priorities are addressed.

A national strike authorization vote is when the Teamsters ask union-represented employees nationwide to give the national union leadership the authority to call a strike. It does not mean a strike will occur, and it does not change or override your local collective bargaining agreement. Local contracts remain fully in effect and continue to guide if and how any strike activity could take place at individual sites.

We can’t speak to why national union leadership is encouraging this before meaningful bargaining discussions have taken place. What we can say is that calling for a strike authorization vote this early does not move negotiations forward and instead takes attention away from constructive, solutions-focused bargaining.

Last week, First Student and union representatives met in‑person for additional negotiations in Washington, D.C. During those discussions, we reached tentative agreements on two additional non-economic issues and then began discussions on the remaining topics in the national agreement. As has been the case since the NMFSA was first established, local agreements continue to set wages, benefits, and specific working conditions for employees at each location.

As we get closer to the expiration of the national agreement, First Student remains ready and willing to continue meaningful discussions at any time, including before the next scheduled bargaining dates of March 30–31.

First Student remains committed to negotiating a fair agreement in good faith and continues to work through the remaining issues at the table. Our focus remains on reaching a fair agreement that supports long-term stability for you, our operations, and the students, families, and school districts who rely on us every day.

You may see communications from the Teamsters referencing a possible strike as part of their negotiating approach. While strike votes and strike messaging can occur during bargaining, our focus remains on reaching a fair agreement through productive negotiations.

Our goal is simple: continue working toward an agreement that supports our employees while ensuring we can reliably serve the students, families, and school districts who depend on us every day.

We remain ready to continue discussions and believe the best outcomes are reached at the bargaining table.

No. First Student is not seeking to take away hours from employees and our current proposal speaks of no such thing.

Local collective bargaining agreements continue to govern schedules, hours, and day-to-day working conditions at each location, and those agreements remain fully in effect throughout their negotiated term. We value the work our employees do and understand that predictable, reliable hours matter to you and your families.

As national negotiations continue, our focus remains on reaching a fair agreement while protecting the integrity of local agreements that reflect the needs of individual locations.

No. First Student is not proposing wage reductions or lower pay.

Wages are primarily determined through local agreements, which remain in effect and unchanged. Any claims suggesting that First Student is seeking to cut wages or reduce pay through the national agreement are inaccurate.

Our goal in bargaining is to reach an agreement that supports meaningful wages, strong benefits, and long-term stability for employees and our operations.

No. During our last bargaining session on March 12, the Teamsters walked away from the bargaining table without responding to the updated proposal we provided to them, which currently remains on the table. To date, the Teamsters still have not responded.

We are disappointed that the union’s leadership would threaten this unnecessary, counterproductive and impermissible measure. No one benefits from a strike or disruption. Our responsibility remains to the children who rely on us every day, and we don’t believe they should be put in a position where their education is compromised. First Student remains focused on reaching a fair agreement while continuing to deliver the safe, reliable transportation that students, families and communities rely on each day.