NJ Transit Strike Could Begin Friday, Threatening Major Disruptions for Commuters

MORRISTOWN, NJ — New Jersey is facing the possibility of a as early as 12:01 a.m. on Friday, May 16, if New Jersey Transit and its union of locomotive engineers fail to reach a long-stalled contract agreement. The labor action would mark the state’s first transit strike since 1983, and could leave tens of thousands of daily commuters with limited travel options.

The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET), which represents approximately 450 train engineers, has threatened to strike if ongoing negotiations do not result in a resolution by the deadline. Despite being described as “constructive” by NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri, a breakthrough remained elusive as of Wednesday evening. The parties are expected to resume negotiations on Thursday in a final effort to avert a walkout.

The central dispute revolves around wage parity. The engineers are pushing for pay increases in line with what their peers earn at…