Possible NJ Transit "SOFT STRIKE"

[DestinationUnknown]

I took "soft strike" to mean that everything just stop at exactly 12:01 am.

Saying you're going to strike for two days and come back without an agreement makes no sense.

[ThirdRail7]

If NJT goes on strike, Nexus Parking has made it perfectly clear they will not honor your monthly parking permit at their MetroPark facility in Iselin. Parking is first come, first served and they anticipate being filled by 7am.

[Zeke]

Don't hit the panic button yet. NJ.com is reporting there is "movement" in negotiations and there are round the clock meetings scheduled between the union coalition and Cristies team. Last thing Cristie needs is a strike. This is going to get settled in my opinion.

[DutchRailnut]

Christie knows after two PEB's recommending the Unions side of deal, that if he goes to strike, his political career is over.

[ebtmikado]

Christie knows after two PEB's recommending the Unions side of deal, that if he goes to strike, his political career is over.

Besides, he heard that they're serving donuts at the negotiations, so he will be there!

Lee

[ThirdRail7]

Christie knows after two PEB's recommending the Unions side of deal, that if he goes to strike, his political career is over.

Particularly since he's no longer attempting to appeal to a conservative base. I still believe this whole this is ploy, where he comes in at the last minutes and pretends to save some sort of day, a la Gov Cuomo.

[EuroStar]

Christie knows after two PEB's recommending the Unions side of deal, that if he goes to strike, his political career is over.

Christie's political career in NJ has been over for a while now, but sticking it to the unions might get him a position in a Trump or Criz cabinet, so I would not rule it out. At this point he is a man with little to lose, so some crazy risky moves (such as his Trump endorsement) are not completely out of question. Also didn't he say he was travelling for his anniversary on Tuesday?

What can Christie do if he came in at the last moment and accepted something close to the union demands?
1. Use money from the "piggy bank" budget surplus he has projected. I do not know if that surplus is even realistic.
2. Cut about $180MM from his budget elsewhere? I kind of think that if he could do that he would have already done that and use the resulting savings for something else.
3. Initiate, I don't know exactly how much, maybe 30% increase in fares?
4. Agree to pay for this with increased gas tax -- that would tie his hands on his demands to get tax cuts elsewhere in exchange for the gas tax.
5. Let the strike go and win the praise of the very rightish conservatives outside NJ for drawing a line in the sand.
6. ...(add options I have not thought of)...

I suspect that 1 is the most likely course of action to be announced on Friday or Saturday, but if 1 does not happen then 5 is the next most likely outcome.

[jamesinclair]

Christie knows after two PEB's recommending the Unions side of deal, that if he goes to strike, his political career is over.

Christie's political career in NJ has been over for a while now, but sticking it to the unions might get him a position in a Trump or Criz cabinet, so I would not rule it out. At this point he is a man with little to lose, so some crazy risky moves (such as his Trump endorsement) are not completely out of question. Also didn't he say he was travelling for his anniversary on Tuesday?
.

I completely agree. His popularity has cratered in NJ. He has spent the past year ignoring the state and wooing conservatives elsewhere. While his presidential run is over, his ambition isnt.

"Caving" to a union could impact whatever future career goals he has.

[freemenot]

So whats going to happen to those of us that have monthly passes, if a strike were to happen? I live in morristown and take train to commute to hoboken, pretty sure my monthly pass is going to be useless during a strike, as no buses will be going anywhere near hoboken.

[DutchRailnut]

pretty sure NJT will have to give you rebate.

[freemenot]

Would be interesting to see hoboken or Penn station with njtransit on strike.

[time]

Looks like this is going down. NJT management walked away from the table on Monday after union officials tried to negotiate a counter proposal from NJT on Thursday. With Christie pretending to "protect New Jersey taxpayers," and union officials not taking his crap... get ready to sit in traffic!

NJT has a refund policy posted on their website for monthly pass holders. Read it, print it out... and when submitting be sure to send a certified letter and print a copy of your receipt and monthly pass so you have proof that you mailed your pass to them. You could always open a dispute with your credit card company. Or, join the inevitable class-action lawsuit for refunds.

I know NJT union employees don't want to strike. But, as a commuter, I fully support their decision to do so, if needed. What they are asking for is fair, and it is a worthy fight. NJT employees shouldn't bow to NJ politics. Stand strong.

[Ken S.]

Freight rail will also grind to a halt unless NS and CSX are already making plans of their own.

[ryanov]

So whats going to happen to those of us that have monthly passes, if a strike were to happen? I live in morristown and take train to commute to hoboken, pretty sure my monthly pass is going to be useless during a strike, as no buses will be going anywhere near hoboken.

Not an amazing option, but you can take CoachUSA line 77 to NYC and then take a ferry back across. I forget if there is anyway to get off the 77 in Newark, where you could get the PATH or something. I guess you could take the 77 to the 73 to the PATH.

[Ken S.]

So whats going to happen to those of us that have monthly passes, if a strike were to happen? I live in morristown and take train to commute to hoboken, pretty sure my monthly pass is going to be useless during a strike, as no buses will be going anywhere near hoboken.

Not an amazing option, but you can take CoachUSA line 77 to NYC and then take a ferry back across. I forget if there is anyway to get off the 77 in Newark, where you could get the PATH or something. I guess you could take the 77 to the 73 to the PATH.

The 77 doesn't serve Newark and doesn't carry local riders either.