NJBIA President and CEO Michele Siekerka has called for a renewal of contract negotiations between striking train engineers and NJ TRANSIT. The strike was initiated after the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen and NJ TRANSIT failed to meet a deadline for contract renewal.
In her statement, Siekerka acknowledged the union's right to negotiate but emphasized that any agreement should consider NJ TRANSIT’s financial constraints. "While we understand the union’s right to negotiate a fair deal for themselves, we also understand that any fair deal must not break the bank, particularly given NJ TRANSIT’s funding challenges," she stated.
Siekerka expressed concern over the disruption caused by the rail strike. "This rail strike wreaks havoc for rail riders who need to get to work, to their doctor’s offices, to their stores and other important daily destinations," she noted.
She urged both parties to resume talks before their scheduled meeting on Sunday. Additionally, she stressed that any new agreement should avoid increasing the Corporate Transit Fee further. According to Siekerka, this fee already results in New Jersey having "the highest corporate tax rate in the nation, by far."
