New Jersey Rail Strike Concludes With Tentative Agreement

An interim agreement has been reached between NJ Transit and its locomotive engineers, ending New Jersey’s first statewide rail strike in over 40 years. Officials announced that full service will resume on Tuesday.

The Locomotive Engineers and Train Brotherhood (Brett) called off the strike after a two-day post-strike speech, which followed a closure that started at midnight on Friday. This disruption left about 350,000 commuters in a tough spot, prompting the deployment of emergency buses and encouraging employers to let staff work remotely.

“The sound you hear is probably the sound of our state commuters giving a collective sigh of relief,” stated Governor Phil Murphy at a news conference on Sunday. He emphasized the need for continued improvements in NJ Transit, highlighting its importance for countless residents who rely on it daily.

NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri confirmed that regular schedules will start again on Tuesday. Engineers will report to work on Monday to conduct 24-hour safety checks required for the trains to return to service. In the meantime, an emergency response plan is in place, featuring charter buses from four park-and-ride hubs and extended light rail services for Monday’s commute.

Negotiators from both sides met again on Sunday to hammer out a compromise after discussions stalled late Thursday. While specific terms remain unclear, Brett’s negotiators mentioned that the agreement aims to align engineer salaries with those of Amtrak and New York commuter lines. Engineers, who have been without a raise for five years, will vote on the agreement electronically. The New Jersey Transit board is set to vote on June 11.

While details of the agreement were not fully disclosed, it was indicated that wages were the primary sticking point. Negotiators managed to agree on a package that would promote hourly pay increases without putting significant pressure on the budget or raising fares.

Murphy praised Kolluri as “This Week’s MVP.” Meanwhile, union leaders expressed gratitude to Congress for not intervening, contrasting this situation with the 2022 freight rail dispute, and noted that allowing limited strikes could have expedited the negotiation process. NJ Transit and Brett have not yet responded to requests for further comments.