Bargaining In Bus Strike Will Continue "Into the Wee Hours" Tonight

Amalgamated Transit Union officials were in Montclair to support striking workers on Thursday, taking a break from negotiations with DeCamp management at their attorney's offices in Roseland, New Jersey. Speaking from a Montclair church beside the DeCamp company headquarters on Greenwood Avenue, ATU Chairman John Costa reported that there has been no progress in the negotiations so far. 

Still, he remains hopeful that there may be some headway in the bargaining process later on Thursday evening.

"As of now, negotiations are once again not going well," he said, "but we're going back (to DeCamp's attorney's offices) tonight at 5 p.m. They said they'll meet us there at that time, which I'll take as a good sign."

On hand to show support of the Montclair strikers was Ray Greaves, a representative of ATU 1819 and Third Ward Council member of Bayonne.  He commented, "I know the passengers are suffering from the strike.  But this is going on so long because the (DeCamp) company thinks it can hold out longer than the workers.  If they don't want to make money they can hold out as long as they want, right?"   

On Wednesday, DeCamp Committee Executive Board met with union officials at his office in Kennilworth, New Jersey. Other unions were present at the meeting, including the United Transportation Union and the Teamsters National Union. Costa reports, "Yesterday's meeting was very positive. We raised sufficient funds for the strikers. We want to show the company that they can't break the strikers."

To that end, union officials will hold a picket line rally on Friday at noon in support of the strikers.  

"Tomorrow's a big day," said driver Millie Ruiz.  "A lot of people are bringing us food.  I heard they're gonna bring us a check."

"We raised$12,000 within the hour," confirmed Local ATU President Michelle Vigh.  "The NY local 726 MTA raised $3,000 of that."

"A lot of us were already living paycheck to paycheck, and now we've got no paycheck coming in," added DeCamp driver "Big Al" Feldman.  "But there's hope.  We're 300,000 members strong."  

When asked for a time frame when the strike will end, Costa replied, "As soon as the company sits down and bargains with us, we'll write up a contract." 

As for negotiations Thursday night, Costa said, "We're willing to be there until the wee hours."