By Larry Higgs | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on February 10, 2016 at 11:58 AM, updated February 11, 2016 at 7:50 AM
Rail unions officials said today that their members have authorized a strikeagainst NJ Transit, but are hoping the agency returns to the bargaining table.
“We are certainly hopeful that NJ Transit gets back to the negotiating table,” said Stephen Burkert, general chairman of the SMART Union transportation division, which represents conductors. “We have no official date.”
Members of 17 rail unions have taken a vote and the result was “100 percent” to strike.
An increase in medical premiums that would negate a wage increase, recommended by a federal labor board, is among the major hurdles, he said.
Another negotiating session has been scheduled, said Dennis Martin, interim NJ Transit executive director. Burkert said the unions haven’t been notified of a date for new talks.
The unions have been working without a contract for five years. The unions are looking at a proposal that calls for an 800 percent increase in health insurance premiums and an overall 6 percent pay raise, which Burkert said means workers would pay between $400 and $700 a month.
“We’ve done everything in our power to avert a strike,” Burkert said. “Half of our coalition members would take a pay cut on day one (of a new contract).”
NJ Transit insiders said earlier this month that there was a 75 to 85 percent likelihood of a “soft strike” over the weekend of March 12.
More extortion
oh, come on.
people the union workers built this great u s a.
Fire them