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Potential NJ Transit strike to interfere with Spring Break travel

A coalition of 17 rail unions plan to go on a strike during the weekend of March 12th if a contract settlement cannot be reached with New Jersey Transit, according to Dean Devita, chapter secretary-treasurer at the National Conference of Firemen & Oilers.

The potential strike dates overlap with the first weekend of the University's spring break for this year’s academic calendar. More than 82 percent of current University undergraduate students are from out of state, and around 11 percent identify as international students, according to University enrollment statistics.

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The dispute between the coalition of unions and NJ Transit arose when rail workers had not received a pay raise in the previous five years, Devita said. After several closed-door negotiations with NJ Transit last year, the two parties failed to reach a settlement, according to Devita. He added that several members of the coalition subsequently consulted the National Mediation Board and attempted, without success, to reach a collective bargaining agreement.

Devita added that the issue was then submitted to the Presidential Emergency Board, a panel appointed by President Barack Obama to mediate similar matters. He said that after both parties made arguments, the board recommended increasing the compounded wage by 18.4 percent over 6.5 years, or at least 2.6 percent per year. NJ Transit rejected this recommendation, Devita added.

“The recommendations were short of what we were hoping to achieve, but we wanted to be responsible and responded to New Jersey Transit that we will accept the terms of the recommendation, but they said ‘no’,” he said.

In pursuant of the Fair Labor Standards Act, the union coalitions demanded a second evaluation by the panel that was again rejected by NJ Transit, according to Devita.

“We have more bargaining coming up and we’re hoping that New Jersey Transit changes its mind, but it is important to note that we are not asking for one penny more than what was recommended by the emergency board," he added.

Dennis Martin, the interim executive director of NJ Transit, deferred to a written statement.

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“NJ Transit is actively involved in developing a robust alternative service plan in the event the unions call a strike...we are working with our regional partners, including NJDOT, to provide as much service as possible to our customers,” he wrote.

He added that it is premature to discuss details of this plan at the moment.

“We remain focused on reaching an affordable settlement with our rail unions,’’ he said.

Devita said that the union coalition does not want a strike and would much rather prefer a settlement with NJ Transit.

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“You accomplish nothing with a strike. You create chaos. In these economic times, everyone needs to get to work in a timely fashion,” Devita said.

He said that there is no reason for a strike, as there are two recommendations that the union coalition is willing to accept. Devita added that ultimately, the dispute boils down to a question of fairness.

“We don’t want to inconvenience the guests who ride the New Jersey Transit or the working class people who need to get to work to support their families,” he said.

Some University students have arranged plans to travel home during the first weekend of spring break.

Paul Schorin ’19, who is from New York, explained that he had planned on going home that weekend by train.

“I’ll probably take the train – the Dinky to Princeton Junction and then home,” Schorin said.

However, if the strike happens, he would have to carpool with a friend or ask his parents for a ride, he noted.