The prospect of a rail strike next month increased after NJ TRANSIT locomotive engineers rejected a tentative contract deal in a dispute over wages.
On April 15, The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) refused to ratify a March deal by a margin of 87%, the union said in a statement. By rejecting the deal, “self-help,” where union members can strike or NJ TRANSIT can call a lockout, could begin on May 15.
When the two sides reached a tentative deal on March 6 concerning a wage increase, NJ TRANSIT president and CEO Kris Kolluri and BLET general chairman Thomas Haas said that it showed “NJ TRANSIT’s commitment to fairness, efficiency, innovation and long-term financial sustainability.”
When the tentative deal was reached, the two parties agreed that if the contract failed to be approved by either side or Gov. Phil Murphy failed to approve the agreement, self-help would not happen for 30 days to allow for further negotiations.
“Our members are angry,” said Haas. “I, along with other NJ TRANSIT engineers, have kept the trains moving, but we have gone without a raise since 2019, during a period of high inflation and throughout the pandemic that claimed some of our co-workers. We earn less than our peers at other commuter railroads that share the same platforms.”
“I am disappointed that the tentative agreement was not ratified but respect the outcome of the vote,” Kolluri said in a press release. “My focus remains on reaching a fair and sustainable agreement that works for everyone and ensures NJ TRANSIT can continue to provide the reliable service our customers count on. I believe a deal is still within reach, and I am committed to returning to the bargaining table immediately and meeting every day, for as long as it takes, to get it done.”
The union’s rejection of the deal came hours after Gov. Murphy announced that Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT were making repairs that would prevent another “Summer of Hell,” with delays and cancellations that made commuting miserable for riders.
According to BLET, NJ TRANSIT is the nation’s third-largest commuter railroad, with 195,000 passengers on an average weekday.
“For years, we have faced managers who prioritized spending on pet projects, including a half-billion dollars for a corporate headquarters with penthouse views, but those same managers couldn’t find an extra dime for their train crews,” Haas added.
“We will now head back to the bargaining table to try to iron out an agreement that would be acceptable to our members,” said BLET vice president James Louis. “We want to have uninterrupted rail service for all who depend on it, but we also want to reach a fair agreement for engineers. If we fail to reach an agreement in the next month, we’re prepared to strike.”
