TWU Ratifies Three-Year Contract With NJ Transit

(William C. Vantuono Photograph)

Transport Workers Union (TWU) of America members at Local 2001 working for NJ Transit recently voted to ratify a new three-year contract that includes pay raises and additional time off.

The new contract, which will go into effect on July 1, the day after the current agreement expires, was ratified with 80% of votes in favor for the unit representing 180 car inspectors, car mechanics and coach cleaners. 

According to the union, the new contract, negotiated by Local 2001 President Patrick Howard, Vice President Patrick Flannery and Secretary-Treasurer Brian Corallo with assistance from TWU Rail Division Director John Feltz, includes 3% pay raises for three years, Veterans Day as a paid holiday and one additional paid sick day, bringing the total number of paid sick days to six. The contract also does not include any givebacks to NJ Transit, “ensuring that previously won improvements to pay and benefits stay in place.”

“The TWU is proud to secure an agreement that improves the lives of workers at NJ Transit,” said TWU International President John Samuelsen.

The agreement with NJ Transit follows news of the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) proposal to “increase healthcare costs for [Metro-North] workers, taking away one vacation day, eliminating one personal day and cutting multiple paid sick days, eliminating paid meal periods and outsourcing union work to private contractors,” according to TWU.

“Kathy Hochul and the MTA should drop their ridiculous demands and agree to a contract that betters the lives of hardworking, blue-collar Metro-North workers,” Samuelsen added. 

“I want to congratulate Local 2001 for negotiating a new contract that betters the quality of life for our hardworking NJ Transit workers and their families,” said Rail Division Director John Feltz.