NJ Transit Engineers Headed Toward May 16 Strike

NJ Transit and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen met with the National Mediation Board in Washington, D.C., on Monday, but it didn’t help avert the possibility of a strike.

The NJ Transit Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen plans to strike as early as May 16, potentially leaving 350,000 commuters in a lurch.

“We want to thank the National Mediation Board (NMB) for convening today’s meeting,” NJ Transit President & CEO Kris Kolluri said in a statement. “We found the discussion to be constructive and look forward to continuing negotiations in good faith. To respect the collective bargaining process, we will not be sharing any additional details publicly at this time.”

Union workers, who have been without a new contract since 2019, want salaries on par with other regional train engineers. NJ Transit officials have said economic realities preclude the nearly $100,000 average salary bump the union demands for its members. According to reports, the base salary for BLET members is $89,000; they are asking for a pay raise from $190,000 to $225,000. NJ Transit has offered a package that would bring the salary to $170,000. Union members overwhelmingly rejected that offer.

“With the threat of a rail strike just days away, I strongly urge both NJ Transit and the engineers’ union to remain at the negotiating table and work with urgency to reach a fair agreement,” New Jersey Assembly Speaker Craig J. Coughlin said in a statement. “A strike would have far-reaching consequences for hundreds of thousands of New Jerseyans who rely on train service to go about their lives. It would disrupt commutes, delay doctors’ appointments, and make it harder for students to reach their schools.

“The absence of reliable rail service would ripple through our economy, increase traffic congestion, and drive up pollution at a time when we should be working to reduce it,” Coughlin added. “New Jerseyans expect and deserve a dependable transit system. I’m calling on both parties to act in good faith and do everything they can to avoid a strike and protect the daily lives of the people we serve.”