MONTCLAIR—Growing tension between strike workers and DeCamp Bus Lines spilled over into a physical confrontation on Friday.

According to the workers, a manager taunted the strikers and struck one of them. Montclair police arrived and both men were removed from the scene.

The company declined to comment when contacted by Patch.

Meantime, the union—in a dispute with management over pay and benefits—suggested the work stoppage could well extend into next week, further inconveniencing many area residents.

"When you have arrogant owners who want to take everything from the workers, this is what happens," declared Michelle Vigh, ATU (Amalgamated Transit Union) president and business agent. "I want to know what 8,000 passengers are going to do on Tuesday morning."

Overall, it's been a long two days outside the DeCamp headquarters. Workers, pacing up and down the sidewalk in the heat, protesting what they say are labor violations and unfair practices on the part of management.  

Alongside an enormous plastic inflatable rat, amid drumbeats, honking cars and bullhorn chanting, the workers continued to circle Friday, holding signs that read, "Unfair Labor Practice" and "Union 1317 On Strike!"

"We tried to talk to [DeCamp management]," said John Costa, ATU chairman and state business agent of N.J. State Joint Council. "They just referred us to their attorney." 

Michael Murray, vice president of the DeCamp Local 1317 branch, explained, "We're out here on strike because we've been working since September 2009 without a contract.  Then we were informed that on Oct. 1, 2010, a new medical plan would go into effect. We filed a complaint with the National Labor Board for unfair negotiation, implementing of a new medical policy without a contract. We're still waiting for a verdict."

In addition, Murray said workers are upset with a potential salary cap the bus company is considering.

"The company wants to cap salaries on several positions, such as bus cleaner, to start them at $8 an hour and freeze them at $13.50," Murray said. "The management wants a two-tier pay system, which means that new hires will make 80 percent less than someone who was hired a year ago. You do the math—$13.50 times 40 hours a week."

Costa agreed. "It's hard enough to live in New Jersey, with rents, mortgages, children, what have you," he said.

"We're just trying to make a decent living," Vigh added. 

Interjected Lou Dziopa, a DeCamp driver, "$120 a bottle for prescriptions! With no reimbursements."

After DeCamp officials proposed the medical plan, Murray said that the company began "stalling negotiations and trying to freeze our pensions. You have guys that have been here some 20 years. How can you just freeze their pensions?"

"We didn't want to strike," Dziopa said. "[DeCamp] walked out of negotiations."

Costa reported that even before the fight occurred Friday afternoon, negotiations were at a standstill between workers and management. "A manager threatened Michael [Murray] today, said  'after the strike, he's outta here.' As of now, [DeCamp's] position is, 'stay on strike.'" 

Murray is sympathetic to the effect the strike will have on commuters. "I'd like to let the public know that the ATU Local 1317 apologizes to all their passengers for the inconvenience that was created by the strike," he said.

Murray and Costa are hopeful that negotiations with DeCamp, which are scheduled to begin again on Tuesday morning, will have a positive outcome for the workers.  

If not, Costa promised, "We'll be here 24 hours, around the clock."