INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Indianapolis Public Schools will not run buses on Friday.

According to the school system, they are unable to do so safely and efficiently due to “driver call offs.”

Schools will remain open Friday. However, those students who are unable to make to school due to the situation will not be marked as absent.

IPS said they are currently working with AFSCME leadership to resolve the matter.

An IPS bus driver tells News 8’s Nina Criscuolo the call offs today are “definitely to make a statement” following the announcement of a new bus company taking over for IPS this summer.

After IPS said they were unable to run the buses Friday morning, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO released the following statement:

AFSCME Council 962 was made aware this morning of the numerous driver call-off’s that led to the disruption of school transportation services today. The leaders of our affected locals assured us that there was no union endorsed effort to disrupt operations. AFSCME 962 and our local presidents stand behind their commitment to serve their communities and the children entrusted to them. These same leaders are meeting with IPS leadership this morning to address this concern and resolve remaining issues.

AFSCME understands that many employees are frustrated by recent decisions made by district leadership and some employees may be acting independently based on these feelings. We have met with affected employees several times since the process was set in motion on January 30th . Many employees were disappointed by lack of communication with their union by IPS leadership and let down by the vote of the board regarding contracting out transportation routes. However, two wrongs don’t make a right. At this point it is difficult to assess how much if any of this could be determined to be inappropriate use of earned leave time.