High-Stakes Standoff: NJ Transit Engineers Threaten Strike

New Jersey Transit's train engineers are poised to initiate a strike at midnight on Thursday, a move set to disrupt the commutes of hundreds of thousands in New Jersey and New York. This marks a critical moment as it's the first potential strike for the third-largest transit system in the country in over 40 years.

The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, representing 450 engineers, is negotiating for higher wages. With a tentative agreement rejected by its members in March, the union argues that engineers' salaries should be comparable to their regional counterparts, while NJ Transit contends it cannot afford the proposed raises.

As negotiations continue, NJ Transit has taken precautionary measures, advising travelers to reach their destinations by 11:59 p.m. Thursday and encouraging remote work on Friday. Plans to increase bus services during the strike highlight the transit agency's struggle to accommodate the significant potential impact on commuters.

(With inputs from agencies.)