Unions have authorized a strike deadline of 12:01 a.m. Sunday.
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Key issues dividing labor and management are wage increases, health care costs and the length of the contract.
Burkert said health care costs and wage increases still are to be settled but said Tuesday’s session featured proposals and counterproposals.
In the event of a NJ Transit strike, which may occur as early as March 13, no trains will run on any of NJ Transit’s commuter rail lines, affecting approximately 160,000 customers who ride the system on a typical weekday. “The administration had five years to come to terms with a fair contract for the employees, but has failed”, Sweeney said in a statement.
Both sides had said that the talks were going well and they were closer to making a deal, but those talks may be soured by a letter sent by NJ Transit Vice President and General Manager R.M. Lavell.
“People understand that every year, costs inch up a little, and they probably have gone up faster than they should have lately”, he said.
“We started reserving the buses several weeks ago in anticipation”, said Timothy Quinn, the administrator of Morris Township. About 65,000 people will have to make alternate arrangements, the agency said, and can anticipate backups of as much as 25 miles on major roadways including the New Jersey Turnpike and Interstate 78.
New Jersey railroad employees last walked off the job in 1983, a stoppage that lasted for more than a month.
If workers strike, the agency plans to establish park-and-ride lots so rail commuters can transfer to buses or the PATH subway to reach the city.
Gary Dellaverson, NJ Transit special counsel, said Thursday both sides hoped to settle the dispute before talks spilled into Saturday.
“Their desire and our desire, at least as of this moment, is the same, which is to reach a peaceful, across-the-table resolution”, he added.
“Today’s discussions were productive and positive, but there is still more work to be done”, said Nancy Snyder, an NJ Transit spokeswoman, who said talks will resume Thursday. Negotiations will continue tomorrow with a face-to-face meeting scheduled for Thursday.
“What you want to do is really avoid the number of vehicles coming in, not necessarily the number of buses coming in”, Vanterpool said.
Media outlets have reported that only a fraction of the regular NJ Transit riders will be able to get to NY by bus.
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Aside from the contingency steps NJ Transit laid out, commuters in Princeton and other parts of Mercer County have other alternatives for getting into Manhattan during the morning rush hour.
