It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always.
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
However, as seniors grow older, completing daily tasks like showering and enjoying activities such as visiting the historic Deal Castle gets harder without someone by their side. Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in Deal, NJ is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
“I just started using always best care for my dad The certified aids that came from”
“Such an amazing company with employees who truly care about their business and those they”
“It is a pleasure to work for someone that genuinely respects caregivers for the job”
“I am a current client of this provider I can’t begin to tell to you how”
“I cannot thank Always Best Care enough for helping us find an ideal Assisted Living”
“I am a current client of this provider Your manager is always nice and flexible, and”
“I am a current client of this provider We are very happy with Always Best Care.”
“I am a current client of this provider We have hired Always Best Care. We have”
“I am a current client of this provider We hired Always Best Care two weeks ago”
“I just started using always best care for my dad The certified aids that came from the agency were fantastic This situation is new for myself and my dad For having no complaints from my dad is a plus So ty again for such an easy transition for my dad Much appreciated Susan”
“Such an amazing company with employees who truly care about their business and those they take care of. Caretakers are top notch and customer service is great and they are available whenever you need them.”
“It is a pleasure to work for someone that genuinely respects caregivers for the job we do!”
“I am a current client of this provider I can’t begin to tell to you how pleased I am with Always Best Care. Not only have they placed the perfect caregiver with my mother they also take care of the billing and when I need to speak to a receptionist they are always available. Thank you!!”
“I cannot thank Always Best Care enough for helping us find an ideal Assisted Living Facility for my mother. We moved to the city a month ago and had little idea about the local senior living communities. I’d like to thank the highly experienced and knowledgeable caregivers of Always Best Care for helping our family during the difficult time.”
“I am a current client of this provider Your manager is always nice and flexible, and the caregivers are sweet and wonderful”
“I am a current client of this provider We are very happy with Always Best Care. They do 24hr care, and the caregiver is excellent. I would recommend them.”
“I am a current client of this provider We have hired Always Best Care. We have them for 5 to 6 weeks now. My mother practically does everything herself, but sometimes they might fix her her lunch, there might be a little bit of shopping, and they take her to her appointment. My mother is fine. The hours are fine. She got the hours that she requested. I know she is being billed on her credit card. They have been very helpful and very cooperative. The women always call back.”
“I am a current client of this provider We hired Always Best Care two weeks ago for my mom. The woman comes in three days a week to assist my mother with doing the wash, keeping the house picked up, and just talking to her. She’s wonderful. We interviewed several people, and there was just something about the way they were organized in their presentation and their follow up. that impressed us. They were a level above the other ones that we spoke to. They really listen to you about your needs and work very hard to match the caregiver up with what you’re looking for. We were very impressed with them.”
Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors. That way, older adults can enjoy their favorite local activities, such as visiting Harry Franco Park with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.
Common companionship services include:
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. So, if you've always wanted to eat at the local Teva Restaurant or visit Walmer Castle and Gardens, don't feel bad. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.
At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.
If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
Request More Information
While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.
With the help of elderly care in Deal, NJ, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.
Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.
In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in Deal, NJ understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.
Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.
At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.
Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:
At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.
Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.
Some of the most popular assisted living communities to consider in our area include the following:
For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in Deal, NJ 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey will continue working with Hackensack Meridian Health as an in-network provider, after the insurance company was poised to terminate the state’s largest hospital system from its network due to a negotiating stalemate.In a joint press release issued Monday, the insurer and hospital system announced they had reached an agreeme...
Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey will continue working with Hackensack Meridian Health as an in-network provider, after the insurance company was poised to terminate the state’s largest hospital system from its network due to a negotiating stalemate.
In a joint press release issued Monday, the insurer and hospital system announced they had reached an agreement on a new multi-year contract, two months before the June 1 deadline.
“All of us in health care have an obligation to work to make health care more affordable and accessible,” said Gary D. St. Hilaire, Horizon’s president and chief executive officer. “This agreement reflects our shared belief that health care works best when providers and insurers work together to put the people we serve at the center of everything we do.”
The announcement means Horizon insurance plan holders will continue to have uninterrupted, in-network access to Hackensack Meridian Health’s doctors, hospitals and facilities statewide.
“We are thrilled to have reached a resolution with Horizon ensuring that our world-class team members can continue to provide excellent care to the patients and communities we serve,” said Robert C. Garrett, chief executive officer of Hackensack Meridian Health.
The agreement is a comfort to thousands of patients who feared they may have to pay more to continue receiving care from Hackensack Meridian Health hospitals. U.S Rep. Frank Pallone has called out the healthcare companies for letting it get this far.
“I’m relieved that Horizon and Hackensack Meridian have finally come to an agreement that protects health care access for hundreds of thousands of New Jerseyans. But let’s be clear: this should never have come to the brink,” Pallone, D-6th Dist., said Monday in a statement sent to media outlets.
“I’ll continue to monitor these situations closely and won’t hesitate to step in again when access to care is threatened,” Pallone said.
Hackensack Meridian Health is the state’s largest health system, with 18 hospitals and more than 500 patient care locations, including ambulatory care centers, surgery centers, home health services, long-term care and assisted living communities, according to its website. The hospital system serves close to 2 million patients annually at its facilities.
Horizon serves more than 3.8 million members in New Jersey, according to its website.
Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription.
Jackie Roman may be reached at [email protected].
UPDATE: The Jackson school district announced just before 5 p.m. Friday that the lawsuit has been withdrawn by Bais Yaakov and the $13.1 million sale will proceed with a closing date in early June.An Ocean County school district’s plan to sell a former elementary school building to an Orthodox Jewish group is mired in a court battle.The Jackson school b...
UPDATE: The Jackson school district announced just before 5 p.m. Friday that the lawsuit has been withdrawn by Bais Yaakov and the $13.1 million sale will proceed with a closing date in early June.
An Ocean County school district’s plan to sell a former elementary school building to an Orthodox Jewish group is mired in a court battle.
The Jackson school board accepted a $13.1 million offer Dec. 11 from Bais Yaakov of Jackson to buy the Sylvia Rosenauer Elementary School, which closed in June after 62 years.
However, the agreement — which district officials said at the time would help offset steep state aid cuts — appears to have collapsed.
Bais Yaakov filed a lawsuit in Ocean County chancery court last week, the Asbury Park Press reported. Bais Yaakov is affiliated with the all-girls’ Bais Faiga School, an Orthodox Jewish school in neighboring Lakewood.
Bais Yaakov alleges the school district improperly altered the terms and conditions of the deal by sending a contract March 7 seeking two deposits totaling more than $6 million and changing the closing date.
Three days later, the school board’s lawyer informed Bais Yaakov that Jackson “was going to move in a different direction,” the lawsuit states.
The Jackson school board passed a resolution March 19 authorizing district officials to rebid the sale of the property or pursue other uses of the building, subject to board approval.
The school district’s spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request to comment.
The legal battle with Bais Yaakov is unrelated to a district-wide restructuring approved in February by the Jackson school board. That plan will close the Christa McAuliffe Middle School when the academic year ends in June.
The board, as it did when closing the Rosenauer school, cited the impact of state aid cuts in closing the middle school.
The district’s enrollment dropped from 8,189 in 2017-18 to 6,914 in 2024-25, a 15.6% decrease, officials said.
However, during that same timeframe, annual state aid declined from $49.6 million to $23.4 million, a nearly 53% decrease, the school board said.
Please subscribe now and support the local journalism you rely on and trust.
Rob Jennings may be reached at [email protected].
NJ Transit engineers threaten strikeNJ Transit engineers are threatening to strike by May 16 after rejecting a proposed wage deal. Nearly 90% of union members voted against the agreement, citing low pay compared to neighboring transit agencies. FOX 5’s Richard Giacovas reports from Secaucus Junction on what this means for commuters and how long NJ Transit has to avoid a walkout.NEW JERSEY...
NJ Transit engineers are threatening to strike by May 16 after rejecting a proposed wage deal. Nearly 90% of union members voted against the agreement, citing low pay compared to neighboring transit agencies. FOX 5’s Richard Giacovas reports from Secaucus Junction on what this means for commuters and how long NJ Transit has to avoid a walkout.
NEW JERSEY - More than 100,000 commuters could be impacted if NJ Transit train engineers walk off the job next month. The engineers say they are underpaid and have been working without a contract since 2020.
What we know:
Members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen Union voted overwhelmingly to reject a proposed contract with NJ Transit on Wednesday. Nearly 90% of union members said they are prepared to strike by May 16.
Union leaders say the core issue is wages. According to the union, NJ Transit engineers are among the lowest paid passenger railroad engineers in the country—despite working in one of the most expensive and high-traffic regions.
"Our number one issue is wages. New Jersey Transit engineers are among the lowest paid in the entire country," said BLET Chairman Tim Haas. "We are significantly behind passenger railroad engineers working in this same market—that is, the New York City area. We're far behind Metro-North, Long Island Railroad, Amtrak, PATH—all these other agencies where the New Jersey Transit engineers are leaving to go and work."
What they're saying:
NJ Transit responded with a statement from its president, saying negotiations are still possible.
"I believe a deal is still within reach, and I am committed to returning to the bargaining table immediately and meeting every day, for as long as it takes, to get it done," the statement read.
The backstory:
This is not the first time NJ Transit has faced a potential labor stoppage. In 2016, negotiations between the agency and its union workers went down to the wire before a last-minute agreement was reached.
Train engineers have been working without a contract since 2020.
What's next:
NJ Transit and union leaders now have 30 days to come to a new agreement and avoid a strike. If no deal is reached, hundreds of engineers may stop working as early as May 16, potentially disrupting commutes for more than 100,000 commuters across the region.
Editor’s note: A previous version of this article stated that 900,000 riders would be impacted by a rail strike. This number accounts for NJ Transit’s total ridership, which includes other modes of transportation aside from rail.
NJ Transit workers have overwhelmingly rejected a proposed contract, setting the stage for a potential strike on the railroad next month.More than 87% of unionized engineers rejected the deal, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers an...
NJ Transit workers have overwhelmingly rejected a proposed contract, setting the stage for a potential strike on the railroad next month.
More than 87% of unionized engineers rejected the deal, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen said Tuesday. A strike could start as soon as May 15.
“We want to have uninterrupted rail service for all who depend on it, but we also want to reach a fair agreement for engineers,” BLET Vice President James Louis said in a statement. “If we fail to reach an agreement in the next month, we’re prepared to strike.”
The union and NJ Transit announced a deal on March 12, just 10 days before a potential strike. But the deal still needed the approval of rank-and-file BLET members, and they were evidently unimpressed.
At the time, both sides said the agreement included a “reasonable” wage increase, but on Tuesday the union said wages were still a sticking point.
“We earn less than our peers at other commuter railroads that share the same platforms,” BLET Chairman Tom Haas said. “This vote count makes it clear, more needs to be done.”
NJ Transit engineers have been working without a contract since their last one expired on Dec. 31, 2019. The union approved a strike back in August 2023, but federal railroad labor laws call for an extended process before workers actually walk off the job.
The last NJ Transit labor dispute, back in 2016, went into the final hours before a deal was reached and a strike was averted. NJ Transit engineers have gone on strike before, hitting the picket lines for 34 days in 1983.
“My focus remains on reaching a fair and sustainable agreement that works for everyone and ensures NJ Transit can continue to provide the reliable service our customers count on,” railway CEO Kris Kolluri said in a statement.
More than 900,000 people ride NJ Transit buses and trains every day, and it’s considered the third largest commuter railroad in the nation.
With News Wire Services
The prospect of a rail strike next month increased after NJ TRANSIT locomotive engineers rejected a tentative contract deal in a dispute over wages.On April 15, The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) refused to ratify a March deal by a margin of 87%, the union said in a statement. By rejecting the deal, “self-help,” where union members can strike or NJ TRANSIT can ca...
The prospect of a rail strike next month increased after NJ TRANSIT locomotive engineers rejected a tentative contract deal in a dispute over wages.
On April 15, The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) refused to ratify a March deal by a margin of 87%, the union said in a statement. By rejecting the deal, “self-help,” where union members can strike or NJ TRANSIT can call a lockout, could begin on May 15.
When the two sides reached a tentative deal on March 6 concerning a wage increase, NJ TRANSIT president and CEO Kris Kolluri and BLET general chairman Thomas Haas said that it showed “NJ TRANSIT’s commitment to fairness, efficiency, innovation and long-term financial sustainability.”
When the tentative deal was reached, the two parties agreed that if the contract failed to be approved by either side or Gov. Phil Murphy failed to approve the agreement, self-help would not happen for 30 days to allow for further negotiations.
“Our members are angry,” said Haas. “I, along with other NJ TRANSIT engineers, have kept the trains moving, but we have gone without a raise since 2019, during a period of high inflation and throughout the pandemic that claimed some of our co-workers. We earn less than our peers at other commuter railroads that share the same platforms.”
“I am disappointed that the tentative agreement was not ratified but respect the outcome of the vote,” Kolluri said in a press release. “My focus remains on reaching a fair and sustainable agreement that works for everyone and ensures NJ TRANSIT can continue to provide the reliable service our customers count on. I believe a deal is still within reach, and I am committed to returning to the bargaining table immediately and meeting every day, for as long as it takes, to get it done.”
The union’s rejection of the deal came hours after Gov. Murphy announced that Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT were making repairs that would prevent another “Summer of Hell,” with delays and cancellations that made commuting miserable for riders.
According to BLET, NJ TRANSIT is the nation’s third-largest commuter railroad, with 195,000 passengers on an average weekday.
“For years, we have faced managers who prioritized spending on pet projects, including a half-billion dollars for a corporate headquarters with penthouse views, but those same managers couldn’t find an extra dime for their train crews,” Haas added.
“We will now head back to the bargaining table to try to iron out an agreement that would be acceptable to our members,” said BLET vice president James Louis. “We want to have uninterrupted rail service for all who depend on it, but we also want to reach a fair agreement for engineers. If we fail to reach an agreement in the next month, we’re prepared to strike.”
732-483-4611
