Unless NJ Transit offers its engineers wage improvements that close the gap with engineers at other commuter railroads, “self-help” where union members can strike or NJ Transit can call a lockout could begin on May 15.
NEWARK — Locomotive engineers at NJ Transit, represented by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET), have overwhelmingly rejected a tentative contract offer with the commuter railroad. The vote by NJ Transit’s engineers sets the clock ticking for “self-help” where engineers are permitted under the rules of the Railway Labor Act to strike, or the commuter railroad’s management can lock out workers. Self-help can begin as soon as May 15. Turnout was high, 427 of the 460 engineers eligible to vote (93 percent) cast ballots with 372 voting to reject the agreement (87 percent opposed ratification).
Today’s announcement of the vote count follows the signing of a tentative agreement reached by bargaining teams for the union and management on March 6 that required ratification by both union members and approval by the transit agency’s board. At that time, the two parties agreed that if the contract failed to be approved by either side or Gov. Murphy failed to approve the agreement, self-help would not happen for 30 days to allow for further negotiations.
Previously, engineers employed by NJT unanimously voted to grant BLET’s National President Eddie Hall authority to call a strike when allowed by law if a voluntary settlement hadn’t been reached.
“Our members are angry. 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 coworkers. We earn less than our peers at other commuter railroads that share the same platforms. 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,” said Tom Haas, BLET’s General Chairman representing engineers at NJ Transit. Added Haas, “Management has moved in our direction since NJ Transit President & CEO Kris Kolluri took over in January, but this vote count makes it clear, more needs to be done.”
NJ Transit riders could be facing another “Summer of Hell” as engineers continue to vote with their feet, leaving NJ Transit for other nearby railroads with significantly higher wages.
The commuter railroad has a history of staffing shortages, during the administration of Governor Chris Christie NJ Transit faced dozens of daily delays and cancellations due to a shortage of engineers. “Between retirements and those leaving for greener pastures elsewhere NJ Transit is facing a repeat of the previous engineer shortage, compounded by an inability to recruit new engineers due to substandard wages,” said Haas.
“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,” said Louis. “If we fail to reach an agreement in the next month, we’re prepared to strike.”
In 2016, NJ Transit contract negotiations were settled hours before the strike deadline. The last railroad strike against NJ Transit was in 1983.
On an average weekday 195,000 passengers will take a NJ Transit train.