Officers:
President - John J. McHale
Vice President - Tracey D. Tredway
Financial Secretary - David H. Moore
Time Is Running Out
April 2008
Dear Lakeland Passenger,
Your bus driver has not had a raise since 2004. Lakeland owners still refuse flatly to do anything to make up for raises for 2005, 2006 and 2007.
Your drivers’ union, ATU Local 1614 is trying hard to avoid a strike. However the bus company has engaged in repeated violations of federal law. This is known as committing “Unfair Labor Practices.” There is an ongoing federal investigation into these matters.
In the meantime, we want you to understand the reasons for the continued contract dispute.
In the late 1990’s New Jersey Transit opened up train service to residents of Morris County. Lakeland Bus Company sued New Jersey Transit to stop this service improvement, by using a little known codicil in New Jersey law. Lakeland sued taxpayer funded NJT for having the gall to provide train service. They sued taxpayers for their own service improvement. Outrageous? It gets worse.
- New Jersey Transit settled the lawsuit by giving Lakeland owners $6.2 million, to buy the “rights” to run the bus routes. The routes, according to the sworn testimony of owner Greg Mazzarisi in January 2007 were “worthless”.
- It didn’t stop there. Next this public agency agreed to a lucrative “management contract” that keeps numerous relatives of the owners on the payroll for almost $700,000 a year, plus benefits, with a full cost of living adjustment every year. We’re not kidding.
- The management contract grants free buses to Lakeland and a generous fuel subsidy.
- It also pays a subsidy, with full cost of living adjustments for company managers, supervisors and clericals.
- Hidden in the contract are numerous other perks including company cars and gas. More on this later.
- It guarantees the Company’s losses are paid by------you guessed it, the taxpayer.
- So, the only people left out of the deal are the people who get up early every day and work hard to get you to work on time. The well looked after Lakeland “owners” are trying to cheat your driver out of more than three years of pay adjustments, even though THEY get full cot of living adjustments from New Jersey Transit! This is the only bus company we know of in New Jersey with such a deal. See contract excerpts at www.atulocal1614.org.
- Meanwhile, we want you to know that we are doing everything we can to settle the contract fairly without service interruptions. The Union has even offered to take the contract dispute to “Impartial Arbitration”. The Mazzarisi’s refused.
If New Jersey Transit took over these lines, all of this would change. Here’s how:
- A strike would be illegal. If no agreement was reached, the dispute would be submitted to an arbitrator.
- New Jersey Transit would no longer pay the $ millions in subsidies to the Mazzarisi family.
- Morris County residents would get the same service as other New Jersey residents.
- The 100 Lakeland workers could be easily and economically absorbed into the 15,000 member NJT workforce. This can be done with savings to the taxpayer.
We urge you to consider the facts and help us reach a fair settlement without a labor dispute. Call or email Governor Corzine’s office today. Ask the governor prevent a strike or lockout by directing a complete takeover of the four Lakeland routes by New Jersey Transit.
Please help us keep your buses running every day. Tell the Governor that you want your taxes to go to excellent transit, not special interests!
Note: It's a two step process
- Step 1 of 2 -
Select "Transportation / Motor Vehicles" as a topic and continue.
- Step 2 of 2 -
Select " NJTransit" as a sub-topic and fill out the form and send.
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