The basics:

• BLET locomotive engineers vote 95% to approve seven-year retroactive contract
• Agreement includes significant raise, signing bonus
• Deal ends five-year contract battle that led to first railroad strike in 42 years
• NJ Transit board to vote on agreement June 11

A new collective bargaining agreement between NJ Transit and the engineers union Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen took the next step forward June 10.

BLET members voted to accept a seven-year agreement for its 450 locomotive engineers employed by NJ Transit. The agreement covers 2020 to 2027.

As NJBIZ extensively reported, members voted down a previous tentative agreement. That set the stage for a continued stalemate, then ultimately leading to a three-day strike in mid-May.

However, this time around, 95% of members (398) who cast a ballot voted in favor of the agreement. Meanwhile 5% (21) voted against. According to the union, 89% of eligible BLET members participated in the ratification vote, which ends a five-year contract battle.

Key things to know:

• Agreement includes a significant raise, pushing hourly wages to over $50 per hour
• Engineers will also receive retroactive wages and a signing bonus
• Strike was the first at the railroad in 42 years
• NJ Transit’s board will vote on the agreement during its June 11 meeting

“This is a member-driven union,” said BLET National President Mark Wallace. “Our members told us through an earlier vote that they wanted parity with engineers at Amtrak and other passenger railroads that share the same train platforms. Prior to that vote, engineers voted unanimously to strike when allowed under the rules of the Railway Labor Act, if a voluntary agreement couldn’t be reached.

“Now, through this vote, our members have told us that the terms agreed to are both fair and acceptable,” Wallace added.

‘Equal pay for equal work’

Tom Haas, an NJ Transit engineer that serves as BLET’s general chairman at the commuter railroad, said that – all along – BLET members have said they did not want to be the highest paid engineers. “We only wanted equal pay for equal work,” he said.

Haas said the deal brings his members close to what peers make for doing the same type of work with the same levels of experience and training.

“This agreement gives us the pay raise we needed, but also was done without a major hit to NJT’s budget and should not require a fare hike for passengers,” said Haas.

‘Fair and fiscally responsible’

NJ Transit President and CEO Kris Kolluri applauded the latest development.

“I am pleased to announce the ratification of a new contract by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET), representing a fair and fiscally responsible agreement for our locomotive engineers, NJ Transit, our customers, and the taxpayers of New Jersey,” said Kolluri in a statement. “From the outset, Gov. Murphy and I were clear that any agreement must balance fair compensation with budgetary discipline – and this contract delivers on both.

“We adhered to the established bargaining pattern and, through constructive negotiations, secured meaningful concessions that enabled us to fund the wage increase sought by BLET members without exceeding our current budget,” he added.

Kolluri thanked riders for their patience and understanding during last month’s strike and service disruption.

“I also extend my sincere appreciation to the thousands of NJ Transit employees who rose to the occasion and supported our riders under some of the most difficult circumstances our agency has faced.”

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