The NJ Transit engineers strike entered its third day on Sunday, as management officials claim they are ready to discuss pay, which has been a sticking point in the ongoing negotiations.
Kris Kolluri, NJ Transit president and CEO, said he is “committed to reaching an agreement that is fair” for engineers and affordable for riders and taxpayers.
Discussions between NJ Transit officials and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET), the national union representing the NJ Transit engineers, continued throughout the weekend.
“Today’s discussions continued to be constructive,” Kolluri said on Saturday. “We’ve mutually agreed to adjourn formal discussions for the day, but will continue talking and look forward to resuming discussions tomorrow.”
The workers and management were scheduled to bring their case in front of the National Mediation Board.
Approximately 450 workers have been on strike since Friday, May 16, which resulted in a shutdown of the Garden State rail system. It is NJ Transit’s first stoppage since 1983.
According to BLET, NJ Transit managers walked out after 15 hours of contract talks on May 15. The impasse resulted in the ongoing strike, forcing 350,000 daily NJ Transit riders to find alternate ways to travel.
However, NJ Transit officials said the strike ensued even after a tentative agreement was reached on March 10. According to a transit press release, BLET leadership originally called the deal “fair and fiscally responsible,” but its members voted it down in April.
The engineers are advocating for pay that is on par with those who work on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad.
Mark Wallace, national president of BLET, said in a statement that the striking engineers have gone without a raise since 2019.
“It’s time to settle this,” he said.
Meanwhile, New Jersey commuters are urged to either work from home if possible or use NJ Transit’s limited alternate routes. One option includes using NJ Transit-operated bus routes near a handful of rail stations and buses the agency contracted to run from four park-and-ride locations across New Jersey during weekday peak hours.
For more travel information
NJ Transit has created a special web page available at njtransit.com/railstoppage with the latest travel information.
Commuters can also call 973-275-5555.
