More than 450 locomotive engineers and trainees went on strike after unsuccessful negotiations with NJ Transit over wage increases. The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) condemned NJ Transit for prioritizing lavish expenditures while ignoring their employees' needs. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy expressed disappointment over the strike, indicating it could cause hardship for residents. The engineers, who earn significantly less than their counterparts in nearby transit systems, had rejected a proposed contract that didn't meet their wage expectations, leading to this historic strike, the first since 1983.
"NJ Transit has a half-billion dollars for a swanky new headquarters and $53 million for decorating the interior of that unnecessary building," Wallace said in a statement. "They gave away $20 million in revenue during a fare holiday last year. They have money for penthouse views and pet projects, just not for their front-line workers. Enough is enough."
On Friday morning, 10 hours into the strike, Murphy said local officials wanted to get the issue solved, adding that it "didn't have to come to this."
"The Amtrak engineers, the Long Island Railroad engineers that are right across from them are making more money than they are," Wallace said. "And they know it, and they're doing the same job."
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