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
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