Another Day Of Contract Talks Ends With No Deal As NJ TRANSIT Strike Looms
NEWARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Another round of contract talks wrapped up Friday, between NJ TRANSIT and its union workers with no deal.
As CBS2's Meg Baker reported, there's worry the negotiation are going nowhere.
Unions have authorized a walkout just after midnight on March 13 unless there is an agreement, CBS2 reported.
"So if they go on strike they just gonna stop the trains? Oh I'm not down with that. What if I have to go to work?" Lexi Martin said.
The union has been working without a contract since 2011, and union representative Stephen Burkert said he is hopeful that it won't come to a strike. He said it's much better to be sitting at a table than to be in a picket line.
"We are going back to Washington D.C. next Friday, to meet with the national mediation board and hopefully they can push both sides a little closer to getting an agreement," he said.
The workers are asking for an average annual revenue increase similar to a system used for Long Island Railroad and Metro-North workers, according to union officials.
"6-and-a-half year contract, 18.6 percent, and a modest increase in health care," Burkert said.
Emergency boards have also made recommendations on health insurance contributions, conductor certification pay and 401K contributions for new hires.
The conductors' union head has previously said health insurance increases in NJ TRANSIT's offer would almost totally negate a proposed wage increase.
Labor coalition spokesman Steven Burkert told WCBS 880's Peter Haskell they are willing to pay more for health benefits.
"Our proposal would double what we're paying now, but NJ TRANSIT's proposal is asking for an almost 800 percent increase," Burkert said.
A federal labor board has recommended an average yearly pay hike of around 2.6 percent, Haskell reported.
The union has set March 13, as their deadline and many train and bus riders are wondering if they should buy a monthly pass.
Emanuel Nocum pays $130 a month to get to school. He's holding off on buying a pass for now.
"If I don't have attendance they will do something with financial aid," he said.
Despite riders concerns about getting their money back after Sandy, NJ TRANSIT has told customers to go ahead and buy monthly passes.
"We will have a plan in place to accommodate customers who have purchased tickets and passes," NJ TRANSIT said in a statement.
The plan could include buses like the ones used after Superstorm Sandy.
Commuters who take the buses are worried the strike will upset their commute with overcrowding.
"The buses are packed now. They are going to be way past jam packed," Wanita Serrano said.
According to NJ TRANSIT data more than 150,000 people commute daily on trains. Add that to the 280,000 who already take buses, and it could be a bumpy ride.
The union said an increase in pay does not correlate to an increase in ticket prices and that NJ Transit should have accounted for raised in their budget.
When asked what their role would be in the negotiations, Governor Christie's office referred CBS2 back to NJ TRANSIT.
NJ TRANSIT's last strike was in 1983.
