**New Jersey Transit Engineers Secure Pay Increase to Over $50/hour**
New Jersey Transit has reached a new agreement with its locomotive engineers that will raise their hourly wage to over $50, as confirmed by a source familiar with the negotiations. Previously, the starting wage for NJ Transit engineers was approximately $39.78 per hour, according to the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, the union representing these workers. This pay increase aims to align their salaries more closely with those of engineers at Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad, which the union has been advocating for.
The tentative agreement comes after a prolonged dispute centered around wages, which has been a significant point of contention between the transit agency and the union. Union members are set to vote on the proposed deal, with results anticipated by June 10.
There have been conflicting reports regarding the average annual earnings of NJ Transit engineers. Agency officials claim that the average salary is around $135,000, with some engineers earning upwards of $200,000. However, union representatives contest these figures, stating that the actual average is closer to $113,000, with many engineers earning significantly less. The union’s general chairman, Tom Haas, previously indicated that he would accept a deal if the average salary reached $172,000.
This tentative pay agreement also brought an end to a three-day strike that disrupted NJ Transit rail services, which serve hundreds of thousands of passengers daily. The strike began on May 16 and concluded on Sunday evening, with train services resuming after a 24-hour inspection of the system’s equipment.
While union negotiators pushed for higher wages, NJ Transit officials emphasized the need for any contract to be financially sustainable, especially as transit systems across the United States face a looming funding crisis.
**FAQ**
**What is the new hourly wage for NJ Transit engineers?**
The new agreement will increase the hourly wage for NJ Transit engineers to over $50, up from approximately $39.78.