The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen has reached a tentative agreement with NJ Transit, effectively bringing an end to a strike that started on Friday. This strike, significant as it was the first rail strike since 1983, involved approximately 450 locomotive engineers and trainees who were advocating for improved pay.
Details regarding the terms of the agreement have not been disclosed. However, Tom Haas, the general chairman of BLET, noted that the primary concern was wages. He emphasized that the new agreement offers an increase in hourly pay that surpasses both the previously rejected proposal from last month and the pay levels prior to NJ Transit management’s abrupt departure from negotiations late Thursday.
Governor Phil Murphy and NJ Transit President & CEO Kris Kolluri are slated to hold a press announcement at 7:45 p.m. to provide further information.
In a related development, NJ Transit has indicated that train services are expected to resume on Tuesday, although earlier reports suggested that operations might restart on Monday. This resolution brings a sense of hope for both workers seeking fair compensation and commuters eager for service restoration.
This situation underscores the importance of negotiations in labor relations and the potential for constructive outcomes when both parties engage in dialogue.