Welcome
Thank you for visiting the First Student Collective Bargaining Information Website. First Student is committed to our people and want to ensure you have all the correct information and details on our latest offer, and how it all relates to you.
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The current National Master First Student Agreement (NMFSA), agreed to in 2021, will expire on March 31, 2026. Representatives from First Student and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (Teamsters) are now actively bargaining toward an agreement.
This site is designed to serve as the central source for accurate and timely information about First Student’s negotiations with the union, which represents drivers, monitors, and mechanics. Here, you will find updates on bargaining sessions, key facts, and responses to common questions.
First Student is bargaining in good faith with the goal of reaching an agreement that reflects our appreciation for our employees, supports long-term stability for our First Student family, and ensures we continue delivering safe, reliable transportation for the students and communities who depend on us every day.
Bargaining Updates
First Student will post an update here soon after every bargaining session to help you stay informed. Check back often for updates. Schedules are subject to change by both parties. Changes will be reflected here.
Bargaining sessions are scheduled for:
- March 10, 11, and 12
Our Commitments to the First Student Family
At First Student, our commitment begins with people. Every driver, monitor, mechanic, and team member plays an essential role in safely transporting the students and families who rely on us each day. We are dedicated to providing a workplace where employees feel supported, respected, and valued. Our continued investment in our people reflects the feedback we hear from our workforce and our commitment to supporting the long‑term stability of the communities we serve.
Communications Update
This week, the First Student and International Brotherhood of Teamsters (Teamsters) bargaining teams met in person in Washington, D.C., for two days of productive negotiations on a new National Master First Student Agreement (NMFSA). The current agreement, which was last renewed in 2021, is set to expire on March 31.
For the past several weeks, representatives from First Student and the Teamsters have been actively working through the non-economic provisions in the agreement. Although any negotiation has challenges, we have worked out a significant amount of this language. The teams are making real progress and moving forward positively on a new, fair agreement that supports long-term stability for you, our operations, and the students, families, and districts who place their trust in us every day.
As a reminder, the NMFSA is the national agreement that sets broad conditions and general expectations for Teamsters-represented employees. The existing NMFSA does not set specific economic or operational terms; those have been bargained and set locally. Local contracts are not replaced by the NMFSA and local contracts remain the primary and most meaningful agreement for our employees. At First Student, we want you and your family to continue benefiting from these meaningful local agreements.
Our bargaining team is working through the remaining topics and preparing for further negotiations as we head into March. Our next meetings with the Teamsters are scheduled for March 10-12.
Throughout these negotiations, we will continue to communicate openly and consistently to ensure you always have the latest information available. Details will be regularly updated at https://firststudentinc.com/teamsters and in your First Connect app here.
Thank you for your commitment to focusing on safety, fostering teamwork, and delivering the highest standards of service to the families who place their trust in our team each day.
Most common questions answered
First Student is committed to transparent, good-faith negotiations, guided by our core values, as we work toward a timely and fair contract. This FAQ is designed to give employees straightforward, accurate answers about the bargaining process and what to expect.
Representatives from First Student and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (Teamsters) are actively bargaining toward a new National Master First Student Agreement (NMFSA). The current agreement, renewed in 2021, expires on March 31, 2026. Both sides are currently reviewing proposals and discussing priorities for a new agreement that supports our employees, strengthens operations, and ensures stability for the students and districts that First Student serves.
First Student fully respects the rights of employees to be represented by their union. Our focus now is bargaining in good faith to reach a timely, fair agreement that allows for the best long-term support for our First Student family and the communities in which we operate.
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 10, 11, and 12.
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.