The union had never gone on strike before, a union spokeswoman said.

Ms. Caldwell, the union spokeswoman, says her constituents are being pushed beyond their limits.

Only 65 employees decided to stay on and take a 40 percent pay cut, according to Clare Pessolano, a union spokeswoman.

On any given day, according to Jayne Wallace, a union spokeswoman, 85 percent of the membership is not working.

The group is scheduled to meet on Saturday but will probably not announce its decision until Monday, a union spokeswoman said.

Jane Armstrong, a union spokeswoman, said negotiators met twice during the day, but were accomplishing very little.

Deborah Chernoff, a union spokeswoman, said the demonstration would be peaceful.

A union spokeswoman declined to provide an exact vote count.

But a union spokeswoman, Susan Amlung, argues that "our position is we gave already."

Ms. Joseph, the union spokeswoman, would not say how that issue had been resolved.