TRENTON – A top official in the largest state workers union said Gov. Chris Christie should have ordered non-essential workers to stay home today. Employees trying to make their way into Trenton today found some of the main arteries into the city closed from flooding, backing up traffic for miles. “It’s ridiculous. It’s taking people hours to get in,...
TRENTON – A top official in the largest state workers union said Gov. Chris Christie should have ordered non-essential workers to stay home today.
Employees trying to make their way into Trenton today found some of the main arteries into the city closed from flooding, backing up traffic for miles.
“It’s ridiculous. It’s taking people hours to get in, especially in Trenton,” said Hetty Rosenstein, state director of the Communications Workers of America. “My problem is I don’t think that’s at all what the local police departments or state police want. I don’t really understand it.”
Christie Sunday night told New Jerseyans “If you don’t have to go to work tomorrow, don’t go to work tomorrow.”
But he also said state workers “are expected to show up for duty.”
“If there are people who have particular problems reporting to work, they need to communicate with their supervisors about those particular problems, but I’m not going to make a blanket closing of state government. We have things that we have to do,” he said. “I’m not saying that we’re not going to be understanding of people who can’t get to work when I’m telling people ‘If you don’t have to go to work, don’t.’ But on the other hand… I don’t want to just close state government. I think that’s a really bad thing to do in the aftermath of this problem.”
In Trenton, Route 29 – one of the main routes into the city – is closed due to flooding by the Delaware River. Route 1, another heavily used route into the city, is open but has flooding. And roads are closed and jammed across the state.
“This has to do with safety. So the question I would have is places where it’s unsafe to either travel from or travel to, and there’s a question of safety, I’m not sure why in this situation people should come to work,” said Rosenstein.
All New Jersey Transit train service is suspended, except the Atlantic City line, while bus and light rail service is running on a modified schedule.
Rosenstein said she knew Christie told workers to call their supervisors if they have problems, but felt he was sending a mixed message. “Well that’s fine, if the supervisor is there. But the other thing is the governor said state workers should be at their desks, we want them there.”
Christie spokesman Michael Drewniak said that "unlike Ms. Rosenstein, the Governor believes that in a time of crisis for our state that the government should be working for the people who pay them."
Star-Ledger Statehouse reporters on Twitter
• More Hurricane Irene coverage
Related coverage:
• Hurricane Irene moves on from N.J., leaving residents to dry out