NJ Transit engineers threaten strike after rejecting labor deal

NJ Transit engineers threaten strike

NJ Transit engineers are threatening to strike by May 16 after rejecting a proposed wage deal. Nearly 90% of union members voted against the agreement, citing low pay compared to neighboring transit agencies. FOX 5’s Richard Giacovas reports from Secaucus Junction on what this means for commuters and how long NJ Transit has to avoid a walkout.

NEW JERSEY - More than 100,000 commuters could be impacted if NJ Transit train engineers walk off the job next month. The engineers say they are underpaid and have been working without a contract since 2020.

What we know:

Members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen Union voted overwhelmingly to reject a proposed contract with NJ Transit on Wednesday. Nearly 90% of union members said they are prepared to strike by May 16.

Union leaders say the core issue is wages. According to the union, NJ Transit engineers are among the lowest paid passenger railroad engineers in the country—despite working in one of the most expensive and high-traffic regions.

"Our number one issue is wages. New Jersey Transit engineers are among the lowest paid in the entire country," said BLET Chairman Tim Haas. "We are significantly behind passenger railroad engineers working in this same market—that is, the New York City area. We're far behind Metro-North, Long Island Railroad, Amtrak, PATH—all these other agencies where the New Jersey Transit engineers are leaving to go and work."

What they're saying:

NJ Transit responded with a statement from its president, saying negotiations are still possible.

"I believe a deal is still within reach, and I am committed to returning to the bargaining table immediately and meeting every day, for as long as it takes, to get it done," the statement read.

The backstory:

This is not the first time NJ Transit has faced a potential labor stoppage. In 2016, negotiations between the agency and its union workers went down to the wire before a last-minute agreement was reached.

Train engineers have been working without a contract since 2020.

What's next:

NJ Transit and union leaders now have 30 days to come to a new agreement and avoid a strike. If no deal is reached, hundreds of engineers may stop working as early as May 16, potentially disrupting commutes for more than 100,000 commuters across the region.

Editor’s note: A previous version of this article stated that 900,000 riders would be impacted by a rail strike. This number accounts for NJ Transit’s total ridership, which includes other modes of transportation aside from rail.