INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, August 15 — In late July, members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) ratified a new 8-1/2 year contract with New Jersey Transit. The agreement governs rates of pay, work rules, and health and welfare benefits for more than 400 locomotive engineers, assistant locomotive engineers and locomotive engineer trainees.
Prior to the ratification, members had been without a new contract for more than five years. The new agreement runs from July 1, 2011 through December 31, 2019. It provides compounded general wage increases of 23.3 percent over the life of the contract. Members will receive full retroactive pay, which will be paid in two installments — one in 2016 and one in 2017. Out of pocket costs for health and welfare will increase. No work rule changes were included in the agreement.
Two Presidential Emergency Boards (PEBs) were called to help resolve the issue, and the neutral parties sided with the labor coalition’s demands each time. Labor sought wage increases of 2.5 percent per year while NJ Transit offered 0.6 percent.
The BLET was one of 11 unions negotiating as part of the New Jersey Transit Rail Labor Coalition. Nine of the 11 unions ratified an initial agreement earlier in 2016, but the BLET and SMART-Transportation Division rejected it. After returning to the bargaining table, the BLET and SMART-TD members ratified the agreement.
The unions were pushed to brink of a strike several times. A strike would have crippled transportation in the areas served by NJ Transit, leaving approximately 105,000 people without a way to work each day. However, the unions were able to reach a contract settlement without having to go out on strike.
BLET National President Dennis R. Pierce thanked the negotiating team, including: National Vice President Jim Louis; NJ Transit General Chairman Dave Decker; NJ Transit Secretary-Treasurer George Petrie; Division 373 Local Chairman Jim Brown; Division 171 Local Chairman Tom Haahs; Division 272 Local Chairman Robert Davia; and Division 53 Local Chairman Dave Ziegler.
“I thank and congratulate our NJ Transit negotiating team, led by Vice President Louis and General Chairman Decker,” President Pierce said. “I also thank our NJ Transit membership for their solidarity and patience throughout this five year-plus negotiating session.”
General Chairman Decker thanked President Pierce for the National Division’s support throughout negotiations, and also thanked members of the New Jersey Transit Rail Labor Coalition for their solidarity and Brotherhood.
New Jersey Transit Rail Operations provide commuter rail service in New Jersey, with most service centered on transportation to and from New York City, Hoboken, and Newark. NJ Transit also operates rail service in Orange and Rockland counties in New York under contract to Metro-North Railroad. NJ Transit””””s commuter rail network consists of 11 lines and 164 stations, primarily concentrated in northern New Jersey, with one line running between Atlantic City and Philadelphia.