NJ Transit, engineers union reach tentative agreement; train service to resume May 20
NEW JERSEY — NJ Transit and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) reached a tentative agreement on Sunday, May 18, ending a strike that began Friday and marked the first such walkout at the agency in 42 years.
Train service is scheduled to resume on Tuesday, May 20, following a 24-hour period needed to inspect tracks, railcars, and other infrastructure. NJ Transit has advised commuters to work from home if possible on Monday, May 19, and to limit travel to essential purposes.
As part of its interim plan, NJ Transit will operate supplemental bus service from four regional Park & Ride locations on Monday only, with customer service ambassadors deployed to assist riders.
According to the union, the tentative deal includes higher wages and provisions to support retention and recruitment efforts.
“While I won’t get into the exact details of the deal reached, I will say that the only real issue was wages and we were able to reach an agreement that boosts hourly pay beyond the proposal rejected by our members last month and beyond where we were when NJ Transit’s managers walked away from the table Thursday evening,” said Tom Haas, BLET General Chairman at NJ Transit. “We also were able to show management ways to boost engineers’ wages that will help NJT with retention and recruitment, without causing any significant budget issue or requiring a fare increase.”
The agreement must be ratified by the union’s 450 members, and also requires approval by the NJ Transit board during its next scheduled meeting on June 11.
BLET National President Mark Wallace acknowledged the support received during the strike: “Our members at NJ Transit had the full support of our national union, as well as the Teamsters. We also appreciated the outpouring of support we received from NJ Transit passengers and the labor community who know that NJ Transit’s locomotive engineers keep the trains moving and went years without a raise.”
Wallace also praised Congress for allowing the labor process to proceed without intervention: “This should be a lesson for other railroad disputes. Nothing would have been gained by kicking the can down the road. Allowing strikes to happen encourages settlement rather than stonewalling.”
Before the agreement, NJ Transit’s engineers were among the lowest paid in the nation for major commuter railroads, despite working in one of the most expensive metro areas in the country.
NJ Transit will provide regional Park & Ride bus service from the following locations on Monday:
- Secaucus Junction to Port Authority Bus Terminal
- PNC Bank Arts Center (operated by Academy Bus) to Port Authority Bus Terminal
- Hamilton Station to Newark Penn Station (PATH access)
- Woodbridge Center Mall to Harrison PATH Station
Service will be first come, first served during morning and evening peak periods. Regular NJ Transit bus, light rail, and Access Link services will continue to operate on normal schedules. Cross-honoring of valid NJ Transit rail passes will remain in effect on NJ Transit-operated buses and light rail.
For more details and updates, commuters are encouraged to visit njtransit.com/restart or call the customer service hotline at 973-275-5555, which will operate with live agents 24/7 through Tuesday, May 20, at 5 p.m.
