Gladness Gideon
Rail operations across New Jersey came to a complete standstill just one minute after midnight on Friday as locomotive engineers launched a strike over a protracted pay dispute, marking the first statewide mass transit strike in more than four decades.
NJ Transit, the third-largest public transit agency in the United States, confirmed the suspension of all train services, affecting over 350,000 daily riders who depend on its rail network to commute across New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and into New York City.
The strike, led by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET), escalated after last-minute contract negotiations broke down late Thursday. Engineers began picketing at 4:00 a.m., demanding pay parity with peers at neighboring systems like the Long Island Rail Road. The union says its roughly 450 engineers have gone five years without a raise.
“Due to a strike by locomotive engineers representing Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, all NJ TRANSIT rail service is currently suspended,” the agency announced on its website.
NJ Transit rolled out contingency plans, including expanded bus and light rail service, but acknowledged these alternatives could only absorb about 20 percent of regular rail passengers. Riders were strongly encouraged to work remotely if possible.
BLET National President Mark Wallace criticized NJ Transit’s spending priorities, saying, “NJ Transit has a half-billion dollars for a swanky new headquarters… just not for their front-line workers. Enough is enough.”
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Governor Phil Murphy, speaking at a press conference moments before the strike began, expressed disappointment over the breakdown in talks. He revealed that the proposed offer would have awarded raises without destabilizing NJ Transit’s finances, and appealed to the union to return to the bargaining table on Sunday.
“I acknowledge that our locomotive engineers are critical to this system,” Murphy said. “But we also cannot ignore the impact on working families and businesses that rely on reliable transportation.”
NJ Transit warned that approximately 70,000 daily commuters heading into New York would be the most significantly affected, with wider disruptions expected across its extensive rail network.
According to The Bergen Record, the last time New Jersey faced a statewide transit strike was in 1983 — a 34-day shutdown that paralyzed regional mobility and strained local economies.
As negotiations remain tense and the region braces for prolonged disruption, all eyes now turn to Sunday’s proposed resumption of talks.