The Lake County Federation of Teachers and its Woodland Council are celebrating a partial victory for bus drivers in the Illinois school district. An arbitrator ruled earlier in January that the district had to rehire about 100 bus drivers that it terminated before this school year as part of a plan to save money by contracting out transportation services. The district, however, is refusing to comply with the ruling, which forces the union to file an unfair labor practice and sends the matter to the state labor board for review. "The arbitrator's award was a sound one," says Arnavez Mistry, an Illinois Federation of Teachers field representative who works with the local. "We're happy with the decision" but obviously disappointed with the district's response. The arbitrator upheld the union's argument that the district violated the union contract when it privatized the bus service. The ruling also requires the district to restore seniority rights and all lost pay and benefits. When the private company took over, some of the former district drivers were hired, with considerably lower pay and benefits, while others found jobs elsewhere. The union plans to keep fighting until all of the drivers have their district jobs back.