Why Privatize the New Jersey Turnpike?
By Francine Ehret, The Record (01.29.11)
THE WORKERS of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority know how important the turnpike is to moving goods and people throughout the northeast region.
We recognize how important our role is in maintaining the safety of the highway for the motoring public, and assisting lost and distressed motorists. In the Dec. 26 snowstorm that resulted in a state of emergency, many state and local roads were impassable. Not only was the turnpike the best road to travel on, but our workers then went on to help clear Route 18, I-195 and Route 36 to name a few. This after some private contractors decided they were too exhausted to continue, and left before the job was done.
In spite of the fact that the turnpike has threatened to privatize our jobs, our members worked twice as hard, proving their commitment to safe travel for New Jersey motorists. Outside contractors are paid between $220 and $600 per hour, depending on the type of equipment and who supplies it. That doesn’t include the cost of premium pay for weekends.
The turnpike is not funded by taxes in any way. Tolls and other revenue sources such as bonds and service areas is where the money comes from to pay workers’ wages, to operate and maintain the turnpike and to fund its capital construction program.
Last month, the Turnpike Authority announced that it saved $300 million in construction contracts that were completed early and under budget. Just last month, the Turnpike Authority announced it made $169 million in profits in 2010. It anticipates making a surplus of $200 million this year.
The Turnpike Authority just raised its contribution to the Transportation Trust Fund from $22 million to $25.6 million. In 2010, it approved $295 million more to pay for non-turnpike road improvements. The tolls are scheduled to go up 50 percent next year, to include $1.25 billion for the Access to the Region’s Core tunnel, which has since been killed. But the toll increase will still happen next year.
Clearly, the turnpike authority is not hurting for money. Yet it is now threatening to privatize our jobs if we don’t agree to 40 percent wage reductions and other concessions in benefits and work rules. We have been willing to meet and discuss ways we can save the Turnpike Authority money as we always have, but managers seem intent on destroying middle-class jobs at a time when unemployment in our state is at 9.2 percent, and after they made a profit of $169 million in 2010. Even if we give in to all their demands, the tolls will still go up 50 percent next year, saving toll payers nothing.
We recognize that the economy is bad and the state is hurting for money; we are willing to do our part to help. We know about the high taxes because we pay them too. But putting more people on unemployment, having more houses foreclosed on and forcing more people to apply for public assistance will only exacerbate the state’s problem.
We don’t think we’re more deserving than any of our neighbors. We know we’re not. We’re just trying to protect our ability to provide for our children and our families. Wouldn’t anybody?
Eventually, the Turnpike Authority will fully automate tolls. So why not continue to reduce workers through attrition? Does the Turnpike Authority really need to destroy our families when it expects to make a profit of $200 million this year?
Franceline Ehret is president of International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers Local 194, which represents turnpike workers.