New Jersey commuters faced significant disruptions as NJ Transit engineers initiated a strike seeking a nearly 50% wage increase, despite the railroad's current financial struggles. The strike, the first in over three decades, has left 100,000 daily riders in turmoil. NJ Transit claims engineers earn an average of $135,000, while the union argues that higher wages are necessary to match similar positions at Metro-North and LIRR. The potential cost implications of meeting wage demands raise concerns of fare increases and broader financial impacts on NJ Transit.
To be fair, the railroad could point fingers at the MTA, which for years (under orders from New York politicians) has handed hefty wage hikes to the unions representing Metro-North and Long Island Railroad workers without winning work-rule changes or other improvements.
NJT calculates that the average (including overtime) is $135,000 now, which still means the demand is for a hike above 25% - even though the railroad is already running in the red.
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