NJ Transit and engineers union tentatively agree to a new contract and avoid a possible strike

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NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey Transit and its rail engineers union said Monday that they've tentatively agreed on a new labor contract, averting a possible strike.

NJ Transit President and CEO Kris Kolluri and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen's general chairman, Thomas Haas, announced the deal in a joint statement.

The union's rank and file are expected to vote next month on whether to ratify it.

Details about the agreement are murky. The statement cited a “reasonable wage increase” for the union's members, a well as the resolution of a long-standing grievance.

Messages seeking details were left with both parties.

“We believe this agreement not only reflects NJ TRANSIT’s commitment to fairness, efficiency, innovation, and long-term financial sustainability — but it ensures uninterrupted rail service for the 100,000 people who depend on it,” the statement said.

Kolluri, who started in January as NJ Transit's top executive, brought a “new perspective” to the issues and helped reach an agreement “worthy for the membership to vote on," the union’s vice president, James P. Louis, said in a statement.

Last summer, President Joe Biden signed an executive order creating a board to resolve the dispute. At the time, NJ Transit said a strike could be possible as soon as March 2025.

New Jersey Transit operates buses and rail in the state, providing an estimated 925,000 weekday trips. The labor dispute goes back to 2019, when the engineers’ contract expired.