The strike leaves hundreds of thousands of commuters in New Jersey and New York without rail access.
New Jersey’s commuter rail engineers initiated a strike after failed wage negotiations, disrupting service for the first time in over 40 years and affecting hundreds of thousands of commuters. The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen represents the engineers, who seek salaries in line with industry standards, while NJ Transit claims it cannot afford the increases due to potential demands from other unions. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy urged a return to talks, as contingency plans for commuters are being implemented amidst this significant labor dispute.