The members of the Railroad Engineers Union for the Transit of New Jersey became a strike just after midnight on Friday morning, paralyzing a system in which around 350,000 people depend, the authorities said.
The Brotherhood of Engineers of Locomotoras and Trainmen said that around 450 members in the Transit of New Jersey were leaving the job at 12:01 am, in a dispute over the payment.
Around an hour before that deadline, Governor Phil Murphy and the president and CEO of New Jersey Transit, Kris Kolluri, told journalists who wanted a fair treatment for the union.
But they also said that they could not accept a preferential agreement that would cause the other unions in the transit system to demand the same, what Murphy said it would cause costs in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
New Jersey Transit “faces an alerting fiscal reality,” Murphy said.
The union cited under salary as a main theme.
He said that its members in New Jersey transit are locomotive engineers with the lowest payment of any important passenger railroads in the country.
“They have passed without an increase for six years and have been looking for a new contract since October 2019,” said the union.
New Jersey Transit said the strike could affect 350,000 people per day, and Metlife Stadium this week warned that there would not be a bus service or transit railway in New Jersey for Shakira’s concerts on Thursday and Friday.
The union said the picket lines began at 4 in the morning on Friday, even at the Penn station in Manhattan.
The union said the Transit Agency has millions to spend on a new headquarters in Newark and resigned millions in a rates holiday last year.
“They have money for Penthouse’s views and pet projects, but not for their first -line workers,” said Blet’s national president Mark Wallace, in a statement. “Enough is enough. We will stay out until our members receive the fair salary they deserve.”
Murphy and Kolluri said they are open to continue negotiations at any time. They urged people capable of working from home to do so, and said there would be an additional bus service and additional park and travel areas.
Amtrak and Path trains, and buses are still working.
The last time there was a strike in New Jersey transit was in 1983, more than 40 years ago.
