What to know about the NJ Transit strike

💲BLET members called a strike Friday morning at 12:01 a.m.

💲Talks will resume with the National Mediation Board on Sunday

💲NJ Transit's contingency plan starts Monday

UPDATE: NJ Transit reaches agreement with union on Sunday

NJ Transit engineers hit the picket lines on midnight Friday, idling all rail service for over 350,000 riders.

Members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen had been working without a contract since 2019, when most other NJ Transit unions came to terms. Near continuous talks in the past week ended Thursday night when both sides agreed on most other issues except for wages because of the "me too" clause in the contracts of the other unions.

One thing both sides can agree on is a desire to keep talking.

Gov. Phil Murphy and NJ Transit CEO Chris Kollori said at a media briefing Friday morning that they are willing to restart talks. BLET National President Mark Wallace accused Murphy and Kollori of walking away Thursday night.

"This notion of walking away is not accurate. You also have to accept when you think there's an impass that can't be bridged," Murphy said.

Both sides have agreed to meet with the National Mediation Board on Sunday.

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Who is and is not on strike

Over 400 NJ Transit locomotive engineers, members of BLET, are on strike. No other union is affected by the strike, including bus drivers and light rail engineers. Amtrak, PATH and SEPTA are not part of the strike.

Why are the engineers on strike?

Wallace said NJ Transit needs to pay engineers a wage that’s comparable to Amtrak and Long Island Railroad because engineers are leaving for better pay. The union claims its members earn an average salary of $113,000 and says an agreement could be reached if Kolluri agrees to an average yearly salary of $170,000.

NJ Transit leadership disputes the union's data, saying the engineers have average total earnings of $135,000, with the highest earners exceeding $200,000.

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How far apart are the union and NJ Transit?

Kolluri says that 95% of all the issues between the railroad and the union have been resolved. They say the problem is the "me too" clause that would mean financial ruin for NJ Transit.

"The unions are saying 'give us a fair deal no matter what the cost.' That second part is where we're all hung up on. This is not about not giving them a fair wage," Kolluri said. "It's about how do you do it in a fiscally responsible manner that doesn't bankrupt New Jersey Transit and puts it on a debt spiral like every other mass transit agency."

What is the 'me too' clause?

It is a clause in most union contracts that guarantees a level of equity, fairness and parity in cases where organizations are negotiating with several unions.

"If they were first in the door and they made a deal and a few months later somebody else comes in the door and makes another deal that looks and feels a lot richer for doing basically the same things that these folks are doing, it's meant to protect them," Kolluri said.

What is NJ Transit's contingency plan?

• Buses, light rail, PATH will run.
• Current NJ Transit bus lines to be enhanced to focus service on New York
• Four Park and Rides with supplemental bus service will operate from stations in Secaucus, Hamilton and Woodbridge plus the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel
• No midday, late-night, weekend or reverse commute service will operate on these Park & Ride routes.
• Riders who can work from home are encouraged to do so

NJ TRANSIT will enhance peak period service on existing New York bus routes in close proximity to rail stations. The routes are as follows:

• Northeast Corridor: 108, 112, 115 and 129 bus routes
• North Jersey Coast Line: 116 and 133/135 bus routes
• Raritan Valley Line: 112 and 113 bus routes
• Morris & Essex Lines: 107 bus route
• Montclair-Boonton Lines: 193 and 324 bus routes
• Main/Bergen County Lines: 145, 163, 164 and 190 bus routes
• Pascack Valley Line: 163, 164 and 165 bus routes

Port Authority contingency plan

The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey said that some private carriers will be moving to a temporary location to accommodate additional NJ Transit arrivals and departures. The Lincoln Tunnel executive bus lane will expand its hours if needed.

PATH will maintain a regular schedule in the event of a strike.

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