Water Employees Strike

More than 200 workers picketed in front of Elizabethtown Water Co.'s corporate headquarters Saturday to protest contract issues including sick pay and hospitalization coverage.

Company officials said the strike, which began Saturday, would not disrupt service.

Negotiations between Local 423 of the Utility Workers Union of America and the company broke off at about 6:30 p.m. Friday in Clark.

New talks have not been scheduled, David Davis, the union's attorney and chief negotiator, said Saturday.

Bruce Colligan, the company's vice president of human resources, said supervisory and management personnel were staffing the treatment plant and operations center and performing essential tasks.

Colligan said meter readings will not be taken during the strike, so customers will receive estimated bills if the strike continues. Problems with the bill will be corrected at the next meter reading, he said.

The union represents rank-and-file workers such as meter readers, field service representatives, maintenance mechanics, welders and laboratory technicians.

Elizabethtown Water serves about 240,000 business and residential customers in Burlington, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Ocean, Somerset and Union counties.

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Author: NBC10/AP