Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen members voted down a proposed contract offer from NJ Transit by a resounding 87% April 15.
The company then rescinded its offer, forcing negotiations to start over. Restricted by red tape and anti-strike provisions in the Railway Labor Act, these workers have been fighting for a new contract and a wage raise since 2019.
Unless some other agreement is reached, the no vote sets the stage for either a strike or company lockout on May 16. NJ Transit is the nation’s third-largest commuter railroad, with 195,000 passengers on an average weekday.
“Our members are angry,” said BLET General Chairman Tom Haas in a union statement. “We have gone without a raise since 2019, during a period of high inflation.” The union says they are paid some 15% less than engineers at nearby Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North.
Using the notorious anti-labor law, former President Joseph Biden’s administration intervened into negotiations and blocked any strike action in an effort to help NJ Transit bosses shove through a rotten contract. But the union refused to budge.
In an attempt to undercut support for the union, the company claims the union’s demands would force it to raise ticket prices by 17%. A growing chorus of business and industry groups has released press statements denouncing the BLET for fighting for better pay.