New Jersey Transit engineers strike, impacting 350,000 passengers
WOODLAND PARK, NJ — New Jersey Transit engineers have walked off the job, halting the agency's train service throughout the Garden State at 12:01 a.m. on May 16 after agency officials left contract talks, only the second engineers' strike in the agency's 42-year railroad history.
New Jersey Transit bus service will remain in operation throughout the state, and the agency has plans to enhance bus capacity during the strike.
Mark Wallace, the national president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, confirmed the decision to strike. He said New Jersey Transit officials walked out of negotiations at 10 p.m. on May 15.
"This rests at the feet of NJ Transit," said General Chairman Tom Haas, who represents the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers.
The New Jersey Transit website noted early on May 16 that "due to a strike by locomotive engineers represented by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET), all NJ Transit rail service is currently suspended."
The outcome follows a more than five-year standoff between New Jersey Transit and the locomotive engineers over renewing a contract that expired on Dec. 31, 2019.
The two sides have been at odds over wages, with the engineers saying they should make a salary similar to what engineers make at Amtrak, the Long Island Rail Road, and Metro-North. They have said New Jersey Transit could otherwise risk engineers going to other railroads, which has already happened this year.
The last work stoppage was in 1983, just as the agency took over control of the railroad system, and lasted 34 days. In 2016, the locomotive engineers were hours away from a work stoppage when they struck an agreement with the agency and avoided a strike.
Talks at the bargaining table
NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri said the two sides had been talking late on May 15, and that he was not walking away from the table. But he said the structure of a deal would have caused other unions in the agency to trigger a "me too" clause to get similar increases, which would have been a fiscal disaster for the financially troubled agency.
He said the National Mediation Board was willing to talk with both sides to restart the talks.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said he was not surprised by the decision to strike but that he and Kolluri were ready to resume talks. He said the two sides needed to reach a final deal that was fair to the engineers but also affordable to New Jersey commuters and taxpayers.
Haas said that the union had proposed concessions to achieve cost savings through work rules changes and adjustments to their health care benefits, but that New Jersey Transit officials did not take them up on it.
New Jersey Transit officials have said they offered the same raises agreed to by the agency's other unions, and if they agree to more for the engineers, they will have to offer it to the other collective bargaining units. That's a cost, New Jersey Transit officials said, that would force a massive fare increase, a rise in the state's corporate business tax, or drastic cuts to service.
Tensions heightened in the last few weeks after the locomotive engineers overwhelmingly struck down a tentative agreement made in March. The two parties were summoned to Washington on May 12 by a National Mediation Board to hear both sides about where negotiations stood.
Since then, the two sides have been at the bargaining table trying to get to a solution.
Alternative New Jersey Transit bus options
New Jersey Transit's statewide transportation network that serves some 350,000 passengers a day will be pushed past its limit to accommodate the region's commuters who rely on rail, buses, and light rail to get to work.
In the absence of the agency's 12 rail lines, weekday customers starting May 19 will have some expanded bus service on routes that mirror some rail lines. In addition, four park and ride options will be available during peak hours from Secaucus Junction, PNC Bank Arts Center, Hamilton Rail Station, and Woodbridge Center.
Additional options include PATH, Amtrak, ferries, and other private buses.
New Jersey Transit's contingency plan, which is costing at least $4 million a day, is expected to only accommodate about 20% of typical rail riders. Agency officials have encouraged those who can work from home to do so.
If you are commuting during the strike and want to share your experience, please email transportation reporter Colleen Wilson at cwilson2@gannettnj.com. Include your name, town, route that you normally take and contact information.