Vermont bus drivers still feel they arenÕt getting their fare share.

The Chittenden County Transportation Authority bus drivers have recently been on strike and multiple contract negotiations have been discussed between the company and the workers.

As the bus drivers embark upon their second week of the strike, there has been no resolution between the company and the workers.

The most recent negotiations took place March 22 at the CCTA offices and did not result in an agreement between the two parties.

The organizers asked that these negotiations were closed to the press. The mediators of the talks requested that both the drivers and the company neglect to speak with the press.

The Cynic was not pleased with this decision.

We feel that the press should be not only allowed, but also invited to the events.

The community cannot make an adequate decision about where their support rests unless they can be properly informed about every part of negotiations in regard to the matter.

After the closed negotiations, the media was restricted to press releases specifically constructed from the point of views of both sides, which did not tell the full story.

As a result, we feel censored in our coverage of the strike and negotiations.

However, the Cynic hopes that there is a resolution that can conclude the strike and ultimately result in a fairer contract for the drivers.

There was a discussion held in Aiken yesterday evening so students could show their support for the bus drivers and listen to a panel discussion of drivers, union leaders and activists in support of the bus drivers.

The flyer for the event listed the driversÕ demands as a desire for, Òsafe work schedules, full-time employment and an end to predatory management.Ó

Students are standing by the CCTA bus drivers during the strike.

The Cynic is curious though. If the bus drivers receive a contract that they accept, will bus fares go up and will people be willing to pay higher costs?

We are excited to see what happens in the coming days and weeks. Until then, the strike must go on.