INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, August 2 — Members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) have ratified a new collective bargaining agreement with the Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH), which governs rates of pay, work rules, and health care for over 175 members.
In a tremendous show of support for the union, nearly 94% of eligible voters cast ballots, and the new contract was ratified by over 89% of voting members. The deal runs through December 7, 2025, and provides back pay dating to September 8, 2011. Including retroactive and future pay, general wage increases total 38.17% over the life of the agreement.
The BLET also secured a daily, 10-minute bonus for engineers, an extra vacation day, and had language placed in the new agreement that strengthens the BLET’s position regarding certain work rules.
The PATH members belong to BLET Division 497 in Jersey City, N.J. The negotiating team at the time of ratification consisted of General Chairman Art Blakey, Vice Chairman Jason Englese, National Vice President Jim Louis, and IBT Director of Economics & Contracts Jim Kimball. Others who worked hard on the contract, dating to 2010, include former General Chairmen Ralph J. Nunziato, Anthony W. Basile and Nicholas J. McCarthy. Brother Blakey thanked President Pierce for his support and guidance throughout the process.
“I am pleased to offer my heartiest congratulations to Brother Blakey and everyone on the negotiating team for their remarkable victory,” President Pierce said. “The PATH Brothers and Sisters have long struggled to secure this agreement, and both the turnout and the margin are a testament to Brother Blakey’s leadership skills and the negotiating team having a finger on the pulse of them membership. Brother Blakey and all our PATH Brothers and Sisters should all take great pride in this accomplishment.”
In operation for more than 110 years, PATH and its highly-skilled locomotive engineers transport commuters to and from the New Jersey-New York area. PATH’s annual ridership was more than 82 million passengers prior to the COVID pandemic.
