Due to a strike by over 400 rail engineers represented by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET), all NJ Transit rail service is currently suspended, leaving an estimated 350,000 commuters in New Jersey and New York City to seek alternative means of transportation. The strike was announced just after midnight on Friday after 15 hours of unsuccessful contract negotiations.
As part of the strike, NJ Transit is also cancelling any non-essential road work and construction.
According to a statement from New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and NJ Transit Chief Executive Officer Kris Kolluri at a Thursday evening news conference, NJ Transit management remained willing to resume negotiations at any time.
The two parties have been at odds over wages for weeks as BLET management negotiators rejected a contract renewal on April 15 and NJ Transit rejected its counteroffer on May 5. Negotiations continued late Thursday night, but the union and NJ Transit could not come to a deal before the deadline.
NJ Transit and BLET management negotiators met with the National Mediation Board in Washington D.C. on Monday for conversations with the two parties continuing negotiations for the following three days.
In the days leading up to the strike, both sides said they agreed on 95% of contract issues, with pay increases being the only problem.
In recent days the agency has announced contingency plans that will increase bus services but warned riders that the buses will “accommodate an extremely limited number of rail customers,” and will “add very limited capacity to existing New York commuter bus routes.