Biden intervenes in negotiations between NJ Transit, engineers' union

NEWARK, N.J. – President Joe Biden intervened Wednesday after NJ Transit's negotiations with the union representing engineers stalled.

Biden signed an Executive Order to create a Presidential Emergency Board to help resolve a dispute between NJ Transit and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET).

The move is part of a complicated federal law that releases both sides from further talks when an agreement can't be reached.

NJ Transit said the president's action will help prevent a strike for at least 120 days. After that, either of the parties or the governor can request to extend for an additional 120 days. The hope is by then, both sides will reach an agreement.

Engineers' union says members who work for NJ Transit aren't paid enough

NJ Transit officials said the agency requested the creation of the emergency board under the Railway Labor Act, which prevents a work stoppage.

The union representing close to 400 engineers said a strike in the next year isn't out of the question, however. They said their members don't get paid enough.

"Long Island, Metro-North, PATH are all within a couple dollars of each other, while on New Jersey Transit, they are anywhere between close to 15 percent below that average," said Jim Luis, with BLET.

In a statement, the agency said, "NJ Transit wants to assure our customers that it is taking steps to ensure there will not be a disruption of service." It added it's negotiating in good faith, offering "a fair and pattern-based contract offer that has been resoundingly accepted and ratified by 14 of our 15 rail unions."

"They deserve more money"

The union said engineers have specialized jobs.

"They should have money to hopefully pay the engineers ... They tell us they don't have the money, but at the same time, when they spent a half a billion, with a B, for a new office," Luis said.

NJ Transit isn't commenting on that, but some commuters who've dealt with delays and cancellations over the summer agree with the union .

"They deserve more money. It's a lot to put up with," commuter Aya Ghali said.

"As much travel as there is on trains nowadays, it would be horrible if we have less staff," Newark resident Victor Alves said.

"It can get stressful," retired freight train operator Charlie Breen said.

NJ Transit has a regularly scheduled board meeting Wednesday night. The topic is not on the agenda; officials again stress there is no looming strike right now.