By letter dated March 20, TCU President Robert Scardelletti has requested that the National Mediation Board proffer arbitration to TCU Carmen, Clerks and Supervisors on New Jersey Transit.
The request was done in concert with all the other unions in the New Jersey Transit Rail Labor Coalition. The Coalition was formed over the last several months and includes every union but one on the commuter railroad, with 88% of the overall union membership represented. The Coalitions’ first newsletter appears below.
A decision by the NMB is expected in about a month.
If the NMB proffers arbitration, which TCU and the other Coalition unions will reject, a Presidential Emergency Board will then be appointed.
“Our 950 members at NJT will have the full backing of the national union at the Presidential Emergency Board, and for however long it takes to win a fair contract at New Jersey Transit,” said President Scardelletti. “No matter how hard the struggle, we are determined that our members wind up with a contract they can proudly ratify.”
TCU National Vice President and Special Assistant to the President Joel Parker was selected by all the unions in the Coalition to serve as bargaining spokesman. “Every union in the coalition shares the same purpose and resolve to achieve a voluntary agreement,” said Vice President Parker. “NJT has been handcuffed by the state government from bargaining realistically. Hopefully, a Presidential Emergency Board recommendation will lead to a change in their position.”
The TCU bargaining team within the Coalition also includes National Vice President Arthur Maratea, Carmen Division Vice President Don Grissom, ARASA National Representative Mike Miller, Assistant National Representative William DeCarlo, ARASA General Chairman Jason Tiller, Carmen Local Chairman Jason McMahon and Clerical Local Chairman Anthony Stevens.
“We are totally united,” said Vice President Maratea. “Individual negotiations were going nowhere fast. That has all changed since the Coalition has come together. The request for release is a necessary step to bringing these negotiations to a successful close.”
Click here to read the newsletter from the Coalition Unions on New Jersey Transit.