Wage standoff shuts down NJ transit trains in first strike since 1980s

UPDATED: May 17, 2025 07:07 IST

Train engineers for NJ Transit went on strike, bringing the state’s bustling rail network to a grinding halt and stranding an estimated 350,000 daily commuters who rely on the service between New Jersey and New York City.

The walkout, New Jersey’s first transit strike in over four decades, comes after a marathon 15-hour negotiation session on Thursday failed to yield a contract deal. Union leaders said talks broke down just two hours before the strike deadline.

“We presented them the last proposal; they rejected it and walked away with two hours left on the clock,” said Tom Haas, general chairman of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET).

The impasse has already led to sweeping disruptions, including canceling NJ Transit train service and even bus routes for large-scale events like the Shakira concerts at MetLife Stadium this week. The shutdown affects crucial connections such as Penn Station in New York and Newark Liberty Airport, Associated Press reported.

NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri tried to strike a hopeful tone despite the deadlock. “I certainly expect to pick back up these conversations as soon as possible,” Kolluri said during a late-night press conference alongside Governor Phil Murphy. “If they’re willing to meet tonight, I’ll meet them again tonight. If they want to meet tomorrow morning, I’ll do it again. Because I think this is an imminently workable problem. The question is, are they willing to come to a solution.”

Governor Murphy acknowledged the strain on commuters and the state’s budget: “We need to reach a final deal that is both fair to employees and at the same time affordable to New Jersey’s commuters and taxpayers. Again, we cannot ignore the agency’s fiscal realities.”

At the heart of the dispute is wages. The union is pushing for pay parity with engineers at nearby railroads, proposing an average salary of $170,000 annually. BLET claims its members earn around $113,000 annually and steadily leave NJ Transit for better-paying opportunities elsewhere. NJ Transit counters that engineers already average $135,000, with some exceeding $200,000.

“The issue isn’t just the wage bump for one group,” Kolluri said. “It’s whether that agreement triggers a cascade of similar demands from other unions, creating a financial cliff NJ Transit cannot survive.”

Currently, about 450 engineers are left, down from 500 just a few months ago. The union warns that attrition will only worsen without a competitive pay scale.

(With inputs from Associated Press)

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