June 01, 2026
Camden, NJ – On June 1, 2026, the New Jersey Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC) announced that Train Dispatchers of the New Jersey Transit RiverLINE System have voted unanimously to retain the American Train Dispatchers Association (ATDA) as their union representation. The move follows an unsuccessful attempt by the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) to raid the RiverLINE bargaining unit and thereby replace ATDA as the representative union for the employee group.
While such attempts are abnormal, New Jersey Transit (NJT) recently ended its operational contract with Alstom, the agency that directly employed the RiverLINE Dispatchers. With NJT opting to bring the operation under its direct control, ATU moved (and failed) to take over representational rights.
Commenting on the unanimous vote, ATDA member and RiverLINE System Committee General Chairman Susie Inman said, “First, thank you to the ATDA RiverLINE members for their patience and solidarity through this process. Also, thank you to President Ed Dowell, Secretary-Treasurer Bill Sikes, and Vice President Barry Cross for all the dedication and support of my members and I through this difficult time of being poached by ATU. I am honored to represent the RiverLINE Train Dispatchers as General Chairman and look forward to start bargaining our first CBA with New Jersey Transit. This victory speaks for itself, we are ATDA Strong!”
ATDA Vice President Barry Cross, who represents the RiverLINE members, added “As Vice President I am proud that the membership on the RiverLINE have voted decisively to remain represented by the ATDA, rejecting the attempted raid by ATU. Thank you to General Chairperson Susie Inman for her dedication, professionalism, and unwavering advocacy during this campaign. Her efforts, along with those of System Treasurer / Vice General Chairperson Kym Tinnick, were instrumental in securing this successful outcome. Congratulations again to the RiverLINE membership on this important victory in solidarity.”
ATDA President Ed Dowell agreed, saying “First, thank you to General Chairwoman Susie Inman and the other RiverLINE members for standing strong together during this unusual attack on our solidarity. We highly value each of them as ATDA members, and the results of this vote speak for themselves. I’d also like to thank Vice President Barry Cross for his leadership during this process, and our counsel, Erika Diehl Gibbons for her invaluable contributions to a successful outcome.”
