Friday, February 5, 2016

NJ Transit strike looming, negotiations continue




NJ Transit rail workers could go on strike as soon as March 13.
 


NEWARK - Prospects for a work stoppage shutting down NJ Transit looms large after another round of stalled negotiations with its labor unions.

A dozen unions representing 4,000 NJ Transit rail workers have been working without a contract since July 2011. Two federal mediation boards have recommended settlements that sit firmly in the unions' favor, but both were rejected by NJ Transit.


Under federal law, the two sides are in the midst of a 60-day cooling off period, which lasts until March 13. At that time, both sides can resort to "self-help," including a union strike or lockout by the rail agency.

"The last thing we want is a strike. We have gone five years without a contract. Our settlement proposal is modest and fair," unnamed union leaders said in a news release. "Now, NJ Transit refuses. We call upon NJ Transit to end this dispute without disruption to the riding public."

A strike or lockout can only be ended by a settlement or an act of Congress, which the the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen said is "highly unlikely," according to both sides.

The last rail strike in New Jersey came in 1983.

NJ Transit spokeswoman Nancy Snyder said the two sides had "substantive negotiations" on Wednesday, but wouldn't comment further.

"We remain fully committed to a fair and affordable solution to these contract talks with the goals of protecting our customers and taxpayers," she said.

Phone calls to NJ Transit's BLET general chairman Dave Decker and United Transportation Local 60 general chairman Steve Burkert were not immediately returned.

In January, a second Presidential Emergency Board of mediators declared the unions' proposal the most reasonable. It included retroactive wage increases of 11.5 percent, along with semi-annual raises of 1.5 to 2 percent through June 2017.

"The latest recommendations are not affordable. NJ Transit remains committed toward negotiating an affordable, fair and equitable settlement," an NJ Transit spokeswoman said at the time.

Source: APP.com

No comments:

Post a Comment