As strike threat nears, NJ Transit unions to rally Saturday

NJ Transit's unions are planning a rally in Woodbridge on Saturday, just over a week before a threatened strike that will affect thousands of commuters.

Talks between the the coalition of 11 employee unions, NJ Transit Rail Labor Coalition and NJ Transit resume on Friday in Washington D.C, with the National Mediation Board according to Stephen J. Burkert, the Coalition's General Coalition.

"We are at a very serious juncture in our negotiation process," wrote Burkert on the SMART Local 60 website and asked members not to discuss talks on social media or be baited into responding in a negative way.

NJ Transit in a statement said they will attend the meeting but did not comment further. The coalition has called for a strike on March 13, the day after a 60-day cooling off period ends. 

The unions have called for a rally on Saturday at Marion & Norman Tanzman Park across from NJ Transit's Woodbridge station hosted by state Senator Joe Vitale and Woodbridge Mayor John McCormick. Vitale plans to attend the rally.

Vitale said a strike or lockout would be crippling to New Jersey and believes that both sides can negotiate that fairly compensates workers before March 13.

"I hope that NJ Transit and the unions can come to terms with what seems to be the last hurdle which are benefit contributions and health benefits. The rally will demonstrate, from my perspective, the unions are serious about resolving this," Vitale said. "I can certainly stand behind people who do a good job and want to work for a living, support their families and I want to be there for them."

A Presidential Emergency Board recommendation would increase workers’ pay by about 2.6 percent per year over the next 6 1/2 years. Vitale questions the view of NJ Transit interim executive director Dennis Martin  the wage and health proposals are “exorbitant” and “excessive."

"Have they divulged any of the numbers? How can I comment on something that could just be a fantasy and just words? None of the public officials have provided data," said Vitale.

The Democrat from Woodbridge understands the need to not discuss ongoing negotiations but remains skeptical.

"They can just blanketly say that what the workers want will cause huge fare increases and be the end of the world as we know it without knowing what those numbers look like," he said.