New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy reacted strongly against a strike initiated by transit engineers on Friday. He criticized their actions as disrespectful to commuters and expressed concerns about the disruption in services.
The strike, involving around 400 railroad engineers, marked the first significant labor action affecting major transit systems in over four decades, drawing criticism from Democrats.
“This situation shouldn’t have escalated to this point,” Murphy stated during a news conference held after the morning rush hour.
He pointed out that a small number of engineers had effectively shut down the entire transit system, noting that with around 12,000 employees, the impact was disproportionately large.
“It’s a disservice to the commuting public and fellow workers who depend on NJ Transit,” he added.
Murphy urged the engineers and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen to return to the negotiation table, emphasizing the need for cooperation.
“What residents of New Jersey need now is for those involved to fulfill their responsibilities to the public,” he remarked, calling for an end to the strike.
He expressed readiness to resume negotiations, contingent on the engineers coming back to the table in a constructive manner.
