Members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, representing about 450 railroad engineers for New Jersey Transit, went on strike just after midnight on Friday, significantly disrupting transit for approximately 350,000 daily riders. The strike stems from a long-standing dispute over pay, with union leaders citing their members as the lowest-paid locomotive engineers among major U.S. passenger railroads. They have not received a raise in six years and have been seeking a new contract since October 2019.
In the hours leading up to the strike, New Jersey’s Governor Phil Murphy and NJ Transit President Kris Kolluri expressed their commitment to negotiating a fair deal but also noted the challenges of providing preferential terms that could inadvertently trigger demands from other unions, potentially escalating costs into the hundreds of millions. Murphy highlighted the transit agency’s challenging fiscal situation.
As the strike began, the union planned to establish picket lines at key locations, including Penn Station in Manhattan. The union criticized NJ Transit for allocating funds to projects such as a new headquarters in Newark and for previous fare holidays while neglecting its frontline workers. National President Mark Wallace emphasized the need for fair pay, indicating the union’s readiness to continue the strike until their demands are met.
The strike has significant implications, especially with events such as Shakira’s concerts, where no New Jersey Transit services would be available. While NJ Transit suspended commuter services, other transportation options like Amtrak and PATH trains remain operational. This strike marks the first such action at New Jersey Transit in over 40 years, since 1983.
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