Jersey Transit Showdown: Engineers Strike Over Stalled Wages

New Jersey rail engineers initiated a strike after contract negotiations with NJ Transit failed, affecting thousands of commuters into NYC. Talks broke down over wage disputes. NJ officials and the union express readiness to resume talks but are caught in a blame game over salary discrepancies and bad faith bargaining.

Devdiscourse News Desk | Updated: 16-05-2025 19:12 IST | Created: 16-05-2025 19:12 IST

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New Jersey rail engineers launched a strike Friday after contract discussions with NJ Transit collapsed before a midnight deadline. This marks the first strike at the transit system in over 40 years, impacting hundreds of thousands of Manhattan-bound commuters.

The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, which leads 450 NJ Transit engineers, stated negotiations stalled at 10 p.m. Thursday over wages. Despite efforts on Friday morning to ease commuter strain, bridges, tunnels, and ferries reported minimal delays.

Both New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri have shown willingness to resume discussions. Yet, the union criticized management for walking away, emphasizing the need for equitable salaries. Contingency plans include enhanced bus services, although challenges remain due to disparity in current and proposed wage figures.

(With inputs from agencies.)