Seattle Education Association Teachers (SEA) staged street corner demonstrations in West Seattle Wednesday in support of Union Local 47 Bus Drivers in their fight to get better health care benefits from contract holder First Student. 

They chose to concentrate their efforts at the corner of Fauntleroy and Alaska with the requisite signs and drew many honks and waves of support from passing drivers.

John Donaghy, Executive Director of the  SEA said, "All educators deserve affordable health care and a decent retirement and the bus drivers are educators in the same way that teachers are, and para-professionals and anyone else that works with kids in our schools."

First Student says that the bus drivers are asking for "full time benefits for part-time work" since many bus drivers only work 25 to 30 hours per week. 

"We know that First Student makes billions of dollars every year and if you are bus driver you have to work a morning shift and and afternoon shift so you can't go get another job. Every job in America needs to provide health care and retirement," said Donaghy. "We are just shining a light on the struggle for the bus drivers. Hopefully the community will rally behind them."

He represents the 6000 members of the SEA.

This was the only time the educators planned on demonstrating.