Just Updated: Rally Gives Striking Workers Money, Food and Encouragement

Last night's meeting between DeCamp management and union officials representing striking workers marked the end of a long week of negotiations – and, like the ones before it, it didn't go well. 

"The company was arrogant and made no proposals and left," declared Larry Hanley, International Vice President of the Amalgamated Transit Union.  "They've offered us no dates to meet again.  We were supposed to meet today and they cancelled.  There's no way to know what will happen now."

Among the officials attending the rally were NJ Assemblyman Thomas Giblin and AFL-CIO President Charles Wowkanech.  As union management pledged support and solidarity for the workers "no matter how long it takes", Giblin disappeared into the DeCamp Company headquarters.   

"I called Gary Pard when this first happened and had the opportunity to speak to him again a few minutes ago," said Giblin when he emerged from DeCamp's business offices.  Referring to a conference call that took place between "leadership at the bargaining table" including DeCamp's Vice President of Operations, Gary Pard, Giblin said, "I don't want to bash DeCamp.  We had a conference call with his attorney, Desmond Massey, and if there's any way to end the strike, we will.  We'll be meeting this afternoon between 4 and 5 pm and hopefully will get a consensus with the drivers." 

Because the DeCamp company has consistently refused to speak to the public or the media since the strike began September 2^nd, Giblin's communication with Pard seemed like a positive sign.   "Pard seems very cordial," he reported.  "He has some issues he has to deal with, primarily with the worker's pension fund.  I think they're willing to work with the union.  Last week was a lull week, with summer ending and the Jewish holidays, but they're losing a lot of revenue now."

Meantime, the rally was in full swing.   Union officials addressed picket line workers -- wearing matching red t-shirts in a show of solidarity with other NJ and NY workers – with promises of support and words of encouragement. 

"On behalf of the offices of ATU International in the United States and Canada, we're here to support you however we can," Hanley declared, to a chorus of "ATU" chants.  "You're not alone.  We have over 200,000 members."

Wowkanech, who walked the picket line along with Secretary Treasurer Laurel Brennan, said, "Essentially what we're seeing here is employers taking full advantage of this recession.  These people are driving fancy cars, living in fancy houses.  They're taking advantage of the situation to take money out of workers' pockets.  The law firm that represents this company is following this strategy.  In my experience, this is going on in companies all over the US."

 Wowkanech went on to say, "I feel sorry for the commuters inconvenienced by the strike but I'm sure working families understand the need to make a living wage.  Hopefully they'll understand the plight of these workers."

Though the rally was meant to boost morale, there was an underlying feeling that the dispute may carry on longer than originally anticipated.   Increasingly, rhetoric from the union was beginning to refer to a longer-range plan of attack.

"We'll show them how tough we are," Costa promised the workers. "We have a bigger rally planned for next week."

 "We wanted to give you and your families the first shipment of food," Wowkanech told the picket line.  "If you look at the history of the labor Movement, we've encountered tougher times than this.  We'll beat DeCamp no matter how long it takes." 

Representatives from many local unions addressed the crowd, including a representative from Greyhound Local 1700 who said, "We've had awful strikes in Greyhound's history.  We know what you're going through," he said.  "If you back down it just makes everyone (in the union) weaker.  I see workers here who have the power to shut New Jersey transportation down."

After the rally, union officials announced that, in addition to the groceries, they had collected $12,000 to be distributed among the 105 employees of Montclair Local 1317.  

Employees gathered for a moment of prayer before lining up behind a large truck filled with bags of bags of groceries.  Each worker was handed a bag containing cold cereal, oatmeal, tuna fish, pasta, peanut butter and jelly, rice, Ramen noodles and canned vegetables.

"We may get them certificates for supermarkets next week so they can get refrigerated items," Costa said.  "We should be able to give each worker $150 a week to keep them floating until the strike fund from ATU International kicks in."

Because bus drivers earn about $40,000 a year, this week's strike has resulted in a substantial loss of wages for workers, but Giblin pointed out that the strike has hurt DeCamp financially as well. 

 "If DeCamp goes out of business, everyone (here) goes out of business," he said.  "Hopefully at this afternoon's meeting, cooler heads will prevail."

DeCamp workers, who have been working without a contract since 2009, went on Strike Sept. 2 to protest proposed cuts to employee wages and pension benefits.