Promoting bus safety

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has ordered a full review of motor coach safety, following a briefing by the American Federation of Teachers and the American Association of Classified School Employees.

The groups are seeking a new law to improve the safety of charter buses, often used to take students and faculty on field trips and to sporting events.

Bus driver Donna Signs, president of Owego-Apalachin EA, represented NYSUT at the briefing as a member of the statewide union's SRP Advisory Committee.

Among the concerns are little or no regulation on design and construction of charter buses, compared with rigorous regulation of school buses.

Also, drivers do not have to meet the same qualifications as school bus drivers.

Living with diabetes

Eric Devine, a member of the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Teachers Association, has written This Side of Normal, a novel about a high school sophomore who struggles after learning he has type 1 diabetes.

Devine, a high school English teacher in Saratoga County, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when he was 12. The novel is based partly on his experiences growing up with the disease.

"It's as real and honest as it can be," Devine told the Albany Times Union in a recent interview. "It's pretty messy."

The book is available from the publisher at longtalepress.com or at amazon.com.

Job safety plans

A new report showing a steep jump in New York City's Workers' Compensation costs has drawn a sharp response from union safety and health leaders.

They charge the city's failure to develop job safety programs continues to be a leading factor in the rising number of workplace injuries and illnesses.

The report by the New York City Law Department showed an increase of 3.4 percent over 2007.

The cost of medical treatment and wage replacement was 21.6 percent higher than 2007.