New Jersey Transit (NJ Transit) and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) reached a tentative agreement late Sunday, ending a three-day strike that disrupted rail service for approximately 350,000 daily commuters across New Jersey and New York City. The deal, announced by NJ Transit President and CEO Kris Kolluri and BLET General Chairman Tom Haas, paves the way for train service to resume starting Tuesday morning.
The strike, the first by NJ Transit engineers in over 40 years, began at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, after negotiations over wages stalled. The walkout halted all NJ Transit commuter trains, including Metro-North Railroad’s West of Hudson service, leaving commuters scrambling for alternative transportation options. The BLET, representing about 450 locomotive engineers, had rejected a prior tentative agreement in March, citing inadequate wage increases compared to engineers at other regional railroads like Amtrak, Long Island Rail Road, and Metro-North.
“After days of tireless negotiations, I’m thrilled to announce we’ve reached a tentative agreement that is fair to our engineers and fiscally responsible for our riders and taxpayers,” Kolluri said in a statement Sunday evening. Specific details of the agreement were not disclosed, pending a ratification vote by BLET members, expected to occur within the next two weeks. Haas expressed optimism, stating, “This deal recognizes the hard work of our engineers and ensures we can get back to serving the people of New Jersey.”
The strike caused significant disruptions, particularly for commuters traveling to and from Manhattan. NJ Transit implemented a contingency plan, including limited bus services from key park-and-ride locations, but the agency estimated it could accommodate only about 20% of its typical rail ridership.
Many commuters turned to ferries, PATH trains, Amtrak, or private buses, though options like Amtrak proved costly, with one-way tickets from Trenton to New York City reaching up to $118. The increased reliance on buses and cars led to warnings of potential traffic chaos in Manhattan, exacerbated by the city’s congestion pricing fees.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, who had called the strike “a mess of [the union’s] own making” on Friday, praised the resolution. “This agreement is a win for commuters, workers, and all New Jerseyans who rely on a robust transit system,” Murphy said Sunday. He urged employers to remain flexible with remote work options on Monday to ease the transition back to full rail service.
The dispute centered on wage disparities, with BLET claiming its members earned an average of $113,000 annually, about 20% less than engineers at comparable railroads. NJ Transit disputed this, stating engineers’ average total earnings were $135,000, with top earners exceeding $200,000. The union had pushed for salaries closer to $170,000, while NJ Transit warned that excessive raises could trigger similar demands from other unions, potentially destabilizing the agency’s finances and leading to fare hikes.
Negotiations resumed Saturday, a day earlier than planned, and continued through Sunday with the assistance of the National Mediation Board. Both sides described the talks as constructive, with Kolluri emphasizing a commitment to avoiding further disruptions.
“Our customers deserve reliable service, and we’re focused on delivering that,” he said.
NJ Transit advised riders to check its website, njtransit.com/strike, for the latest service updates and to purchase daily passes for the remainder of May. The agency also confirmed that rail tickets and passes would be cross-honored on its bus services during the transition period.