Members of the railroad engineers union for New Jersey Transit initiated a strike at 12:01 a.m. Friday, disrupting services relied upon by approximately 350,000 daily commuters. The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, representing around 450 members, walked off the job over pay disputes, insisting their members are the lowest-paid locomotive engineers among major U.S. passenger railroads. They have not received a raise in six years and have been pursuing a new contract since October 2019.
Governor Phil Murphy and New Jersey Transit President Kris Kolluri expressed a desire for a fair agreement before the strike but emphasized that conceding to the union’s demands could provoke similar requests from other transit unions, resulting in substantial financial implications. Murphy remarked that New Jersey Transit is confronting a “sobering fiscal reality.”
The union highlighted perceived financial inequities, pointing out that while the transit agency has allocated millions for a new Newark headquarters and offered a fare holiday last year, it fails to provide fair compensation for essential workers. National President Mark Wallace of BLET stated, “Enough is enough,” affirming that the strike would continue until members receive appropriate pay.
In anticipation of the disruptions, transit officials encouraged those who could work from home to do so and announced additional bus services and park-and-ride options. Meanwhile, Amtrak, PATH trains, and some bus services remain operational. This event marks the first strike at New Jersey Transit since 1983, over 40 years ago.
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