NJ Transit’s Board Meeting Today Was A Lesson in Deflection – Prioritizing “Safety Tips,” “Accessibility” and “Sustainability,” Meanwhile the Transit Agency Practices Targeted Harassment of Workers, Shady Real Estate Deals and Stalling Tactics
NEWARK — “It should be clear to everyone paying attention that this is no way to run a railroad,” said Jim Brown General Chairman of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen NJT General Committee of Adjustment (BLET). Brown who represents the roughly 500 engineers employed at NJ Transit was referring to today’s June 14 board meeting seemingly designed to hide from the public serious issues related to service. NJT president and CEO Kevin S. Corbett devoted his remarks to topics including safety tips, accessibility, Pride Week and sustainability, and deflected attention from critical issues related to operations and NJT finances that demand answers and board action. Among those:
Shady Real Estate Deals and an Unnecessary $400 Million Dollar Expense
Despite millions of dollars being spent during the pandemic remodeling NJT’s existing headquarters — even though the agency’s office workers were working remotely — the transit agency is spending an additional and unnecessary $400 million for a pricey lavish new office building. Members of the New Jersey Assembly’s Budget Committee have raised questions about New Jersey Transit’s priorities and questionable real estate transactions.
NYC Congestion Pricing Will Create More Demand for Service, But Will There Be Engineers to Operate the Trains?
Amtrak is holding job fairs today, June 14, in an attempt to hire 4,000 new workers – especially locomotive engineers. With the exception of one other commuter rail line, NJT’s locomotive engineers are the lowest paid locomotive engineers working for a transit agency in the nation. NJT’s failure to pay competitive wages for its locomotive engineers could lead to severe labor shortages and service delays. Locomotive engineers employed by the transit agency, the front line workers who keep the commuter trains moving, haven’t had a raise since 2019. An engineer at NJT can increase wages by an average of $20 per hour by simply stepping across the platform and taking a job at Amtrak. Both Amtrak and NJT’s engineers have the same pension plan. During the Christie years, NJT suffered from a shortage of engineers and was forced to reduce the frequency of trains. It takes two years and costs approximately $250,000 to replace an engineer.
Harassment of Locomotive Engineers and Contract Violations by NJT Managers has Created a Hostile Work Environment
- NJT’s managers have walked back a previously negotiated agreement on payment to BLET members called to active duty in the U.S. armed forces.
- Under the Railway Labor Act contracts never end, they become amendable. NJT is violating the existing collective bargaining agreement including, but not limited to, the 10.4% differential that locomotive engineers are to be paid over the pay rate of conductors.
- NJT is selectively enforcing discipline against locomotive engineers, punishing engineers for actions that are not considered violations when taken by other transit agency workers. Additionally, in an effort to pressure the union to reach a contract settlement and harass a union official, NJT managers have wrongfully dismissed General Chairman Brown from his employment with the agency, forcing the matter to binding arbitration.
Millions for Penthouse Views, Not a Dime for Train Crews”
At last month’s May 10 NJT board meeting, BLET members protested with signs reading, “Millions for Penthouse Views, Not a Dime for Train Crews.” The protest outside NJT’s headquarters building and the union’s remarks to the NJT board can be viewed in this video. NJT has refused, and continues to refuse to negotiate in good faith with the union to come to a fair and reasonable agreement.