WOODLAND PARK, NJ — New Jersey Transit trains will begin operating again after the agency reached a deal with striking rail engineers on wage increases, the engineers' union said, ending a three-day work stoppage that affected about 350,000 passengers.
Train service will resume on May 20 so the agency has time to inspect tracks and prepare rail cars, New Jersey Transit officials and Gov. Phil Murphy announced Sunday, an hour after union officials confirmed a deal had been reached. The statewide rail strike, the first to hit New Jersey Transit in more than 40 years, had begun just after midnight on May 16.
"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, general chairman of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, in a statement first obtained by NorthJersey.com, part of the USA TODAY Network.
“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," Haas added.
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen represents 450 New Jersey Transit engineers who drive the agency's commuter trains. New Jersey Transit, the third-largest transit system in the United States, provides more than 700,000 passenger trips a day on average across its train, light rail, and bus lines.
The two sides had blamed each other for the walkout after last-minute talks last week broke down without an accord. Murphy and New Jersey Transit officials had said the agency could not afford to meet the union's pay demands, while the union had said it was simply aiming to bring its members' salaries in line with those of engineers at other commuter systems in the region.
What comes next?
After a whirlwind three days of diverting tens of thousands of people from New Jersey Transit's rail system, the agency reached a tentative deal with its locomotive engineers to end a historic strike that sent shockwaves statewide, just in time for the work week.
The next step is for the union to vote on the contract. If they vote it down, there will be 30 days to bargain for a new contract before the union can seek "self-help" again, or strike. If they approve the contract, New Jersey Transit's board will also have to vote on it.
This is the second agreement reached between the two parties in three months. The first agreement, which averted a strike in March, was voted down by 87% of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen's membership.
When asked about what makes them confident this deal will win over the union, Kris Kolluri, NJ Transit's president and CEO, said they went point by point through the contract.
"We learned some important lessons on what the membership wanted, and I think the union this time did a really good job clarifying, if you will, their positions," Kolluri said.
The fight over the expired contract went on for more than five years before it led to a work stoppage. Agency officials offered annual wage increases to the locomotive engineers that were consistent with what it offered its other 14 collective bargaining units, but the BLET said they deserved higher wage increases to be competitive with nearby railroads in New York.
Providing additional bus service and increasing trips on other modes of transportation for the 172,000 weekday daily rail riders was going to cost NJ Transit at least $4 million a day. NJ Transit encouraged commuters to consider working from home today, if possible.
'Major victory for New Jersey'
Rep. Nellie Pou, the Paterson Democrat who represents the 9th Congressional District, said she is “very grateful that both sides acted with urgency this weekend and have come to an agreement.”
"It is my hope that transit service will be largely back to normal by Tuesday," she said. "Let’s get the system running and people back on their trains as soon as possible."
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy called the deal "fair and fiscally responsible" and noted it "provides a generous wage increase for BLET members while saving taxpayers and customers the burden of fare increases."
"This agreement reflects the commitment of both the BLET and NJ TRANSIT to remain at the table engaging in productive conversations, and I commend them both," he said. "Most importantly, it ensures the resumption of rail service for the 100,000 people who depend on our rail system on a daily basis."
State Senate President Nick Scutari called the settlement a "major victory for New Jersey."
"The strike made it unmistakably clear how vital public transit is to our state's daily function. It is the backbone of our workforce, our economy, and our quality of life,” he said. “Now, we must take that same energy and channel it into strengthening our transit system for the long term. We need a system that is resilient and ready to meet the needs of riders and workers alike. That work starts now. We owe it to the people of New Jersey to get this right and keep it right.”
His colleague in the lower chamber, Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, was "relieved" by the agreement.
"The past few days have been frustrating and uncertain for many, and the return of service offers a sense of stability people have been waiting for," he said.