Matt Coyne

mcoyne@lohud.com

Metro-North Railroad is bracing for a possible NJ Transit strike, the effects of which would be felt into Rockland County.

Members of 17 different rail unions are set to strike if a deal with NJ Transit — which runs trains out of five stations in Rockland under contract with Metro-North — isn't reached by March 13.

The workers have been without a contract since 2011 and management over the weekend spurned an effort from New Jersey's federal legislators to get a deal done.

“We continue to monitor developments between New Jersey Transit management and the railroad unions and are in ongoing communications with New Jersey Transit officials with respect to a potential rail strike beginning in mid-March," Metro-North Railroad Executive Vice President Catherine Rinaldi said at Monday morning's Metropolitan Transportation Authority Joint Metro-North and Long Island Railroad Committees meeting.

Rinaldi noted any potential strike is still weeks away and said should a strike come to pass, the railroad would work with "regional transportation partners" on changes in response.

Last year, the Pascack Valley and Port Jervis lines, which serve Rockland and Orange counties, saw ridership grow by more than 60,000 trips, or 3.6 percent. Total Metro-North ridership, including the lines east of the Hudson, grew 1.6 percent, breaking a record set in 2008.

A big sticking point between the two sides is health care costs. Last year, two federal labor boards sided with NJ Transit workers, whose proposal calls for wage increases between 0.5 percent and 2.5 percent, with health care contributions held to 2.5 percent.

In a letter sent to members of New Jersey's congressional delegation last Friday, NJ Transit interim executive director Dennis Martin said his organization cannot afford those terms. NJ Transit officials have said fares would go up considerably as a result.

Management wants employees to pay up to 20 percent of their insurance premiums.

Should workers choose to strike, they also expect to be locked out by management.

A strike would “have a profound effect" on the region's commuters, said Orrin Getz, Rockland County liaison to the New Jersey Association of Railroad Passengers.

NJ Transit's last strike was in 1983 and lasted about a month. Then, Getz said, many Rocklanders opted to take the Red and Tan bus lines.

"For the most part, Red and Tan did a very credible job of handling it at that time," he said.

Now, options include the Tappan Zee Express bus service to Tarrytown, allowing commuters to take a Hudson Line Metro-North train into New York City.

Commuters could also take the Haverstraw-Ossining Ferry, which offers a Metro-North connection to the Hudson Line at Ossining station; the Weehawken Ferry which leaves from Port Imperial with a stop in Midtown and two downtown, near the World Financial Center and Wall Street; or drive, either into the city itself or to a PATH station.

Talks between the unions and management are set to resume this week.

The Associated Press and Asbury Park Press reporter Mike Davis contributed to this story.

Twitter: @coynereports