New Jersey’s first statewide transit strike in more than four decades began early Friday morning as approximately 450 NJ Transit train engineers walked off the job. The action has halted all commuter rail service for the state’s largest public transportation system and is impacting around 350,000 daily riders, many of whom rely on NJ Transit to get to and from New York City.
The strike, organized by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET), follows a breakdown in labor talks over wages. The union is pushing for average salaries that match those at other regional rail carriers. While union leaders say their members make around $113,000 annually and are seeking an increase to $170,000, NJ Transit disputes that figure, asserting that the average is closer to $135,000 with some engineers earning over $200,000.
Negotiations reached a boiling point late Thursday after a marathon 15-hour session failed to yield a deal. Union officials say NJ Transit representatives walked out two hours before the deadline, prompting the strike at 12:01 a.m. Friday. NJ Transit described the situation as a “pause” in discussions and expressed a willingness to return to the table.
Gov. Phil Murphy, who held a late-night press conference alongside NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri, stressed that any agreement must balance fair compensation with financial feasibility for the agency and the state’s taxpayers. They warned that meeting the union’s demands could trigger similar requests from other labor groups, straining the transit system’s budget.
With rail service suspended, NJ Transit has urged those who can work remotely to stay home and announced limited contingency bus options. However, those services won’t be fully in place until Monday and will only accommodate about 20% of normal rail riders.
Travelers have already felt the disruption. Picket lines were visible Friday morning at locations including Hoboken Terminal and Newark Penn Station. At South Amboy, the typically busy train station was empty, while the nearby ferry service saw increased use.
Commuters like David Milosevich, a fashion industry worker from Montclair, scrambled to find alternative routes. “I left very early just to make sure I could get into the city,” he said after arriving at the Port Authority bus terminal.
The strike has also had ripple effects. MetLife Stadium, which was hosting Shakira concerts this week, canceled NJ Transit services to the venue due to the uncertainty. Meanwhile, weather-related delays added to the disruption at Newark Liberty International Airport.
The labor standoff stems from long-standing grievances. The union says engineers haven’t received a raise since 2019 and that NJ Transit has failed to make progress despite having funding available. Union leaders have also criticized NJ Transit’s spending priorities, citing investments in a new headquarters as evidence that worker concerns are being sidelined.
While Congress has the authority to step in, as it did during the 2022 freight rail labor dispute, lawmakers have so far stayed silent. New Jersey Rep. Josh Gottheimer urged both sides to continue negotiating “24/7” to avoid further hardship for workers and commuters.
Talks are expected to resume this weekend under federal mediation. Until then, the shutdown leaves one of the busiest commuter rail systems in the country at a standstill, with commuters facing an uncertain start to the workweek.
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