New Jersey Transit Strike Disrupts Commuters
As transport engineers in New Jersey initiated their strike early Friday, over 300,000 commuters found themselves scrambling for alternatives to reach work.
The strike involves the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers alongside members of the Train Brotherhood, following extensive negotiations that lasted about a month between New Jersey’s transit authority and the union.
According to reports, New Jersey Transit CEO Chris Koruli noted that on a typical weekday, approximately 70,000 commuters utilize New Jersey Transit trains heading into New York City. However, he emphasized that the train service shutdown would impact all 350,000 riders within the transit system, including those taking buses and light rail services.
Leslie Bell, a commuter, expressed his frustration, citing that he was “stuck at a Trenton station” while trying to get to his supervisor position at a Wawa in Newark. Facing the prospect of purchasing a $110 Amtrak ticket, which he deemed “silly,” Bell lamented the situation, saying, “You can’t pay $110 to go to Newark on Amtrak. Plus, all tickets are sold out. This is ridiculous.”
Another commuter, Matt Stratton, who works as a banker in Glenridge, mentioned feeling uncertain about her commute for Monday, given that fares had already increased. “I don’t know how I’ll be able to work on Monday,” she remarked, adding that she was “actively considering figuring out what to do.”
Union spokesperson Jamie Horwitz explained that the base salary for New Jersey transport engineers sits around $89,000, and members are pushing for a $10 hourly wage increase. While the median wage for engineers stands at $105,000, the union claims members haven’t seen a raise in at least five years.
“We’re tired of being at the bottom,” reflected Brett President Mark Wallace. “We don’t need to be at the top, but we just want to be closer.”
In a statement, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy described the strike as “unfortunate,” remarking that the engineers had chosen to disrupt the daily lives of countless NJ Transit riders instead of continuing negotiations. Murphy urged patience among New Jersey residents, emphasizing that a contingency plan was being put in place, while also expressing a readiness to negotiate further to resolve the strike and achieve a fair outcome for both workers and taxpayers.
