Train Engineer in the Vast Commuter Rail System in New Jersey I’ve been affected Earlier on Friday, 100,000 riders were seeking to work from home daily, traversing the state or crossing the Hudson River for alternative methods of transportation.
Typically, those depending on New Jersey transit would halt train services just after midnight and then switch to buses, cars, taxis, and boats for the morning rush.
I left early to sidestep any issues. Some individuals were waiting for trains that never showed, unaware that a strike was in progress.
Initial signs indicated that the strikes did not cause significant traffic congestion or long lines for buses. A Friday rail commute from New Jersey to New York is generally the lightest of the week.
However, as passengers sought alternative routes within the system, there was some confusion and additional costs, affecting New Jersey residents trying to reach Manhattan for Knicks games, Broadway shows, and New Yorkers headed to concerts at Newark Airport and Meadowlands.
David Milosevic, casting director for fashion and advertising, was en route to a photo shoot in Brooklyn. At 1 AM, he checked his phone and noticed the strike had begun.
“I left the house very early for that,” he explained. They caught a bus in Montclair, New Jersey, arriving in Manhattan by 7 AM.
The strike follows failed negotiations earlier this week
The strike follows the latest round of negotiations on Thursday that did not yield an agreement. This marks the first state transport strike in over 40 years, occurring a month after union members overwhelmingly rejected labor agreements with management.
“We presented them with a final offer. They declined and left with two hours remaining,” stated Tom Haas, head of the locomotive engineers and train brotherhood.
NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri appeared with Democratic Governor Phil Murphy during a press conference on Friday. They mentioned they addressed the union’s requests regarding wages but raised concerns about the long-term financial stability of the transport system.
“If your job doesn’t exist a few years from now, what’s the point of offering you a pay raise?” Kolluri remarked. “It’s essentially what we’re discussing in the simplest terms.”
Protestors gathered outside Newark’s Transit HQ and Hoboken Terminal, holding signs that read “Locomotive Engineers on Strike” and “Transit, New Jersey: Millions of commuters see nothing for train crews.”
National President Mark Wallace walked the picket line outside Penn Station in New York City, declaring that the engineers are committed to continuing the strike until they secure fair deals. Members largely supported the strike last summer, with 87% rejecting the latest contract.
Wallace emphasized that New Jersey transport must provide engineers with wages comparable to those of Amtrak and Long Island railroads, as engineers are leaving for better-paying opportunities elsewhere.
The next negotiations are scheduled for Sunday, with federal mediators involved. The parties convened at Washington’s Federal Mediation Committee on Monday, utilizing mediators during consultations on Thursday.
The union is steadily losing members as more engineers depart for higher-paying positions in other railroads. The number of NJ Transit engineers has fallen from 500 a few months ago to around 400. Engineers are responsible for train operations, ensuring safe and smooth transportation between stations.
Strikes cause worry and frustration
Many individuals were certain there would be a way to return home, not just in the morning.
“What should I do when I return to New Jersey?” asked Pam Watkins, a nurse from Edison, while contacting an NJ Transit customer service representative on her way to work in Brooklyn on Friday morning.
The worker assisted her in using a touchscreen to facilitate her bus commute ticket.
“I don’t want this to be an issue on my way home,” she expressed.
Some riders, unaware of the strike, learned about it early Friday while waiting for a train that never arrived. Others sought assistance to reach their destinations.
“How can I get to Newark (Liberty Airport)?” inquired entrepreneur Vishal Gondal, as he dragged a large red suitcase, trying to purchase a ticket at the automatic terminal. “This is ruining my plans,” he lamented.
Frustrated commuters working in train yards for the freight railway expressed no sympathy for the striking engineers, calling them “greedy.”
“They don’t appreciate what they have,” remarked David Lopez, a train yard truck worker commuting from New Jersey.
“The trains are often late, yet they still complain about wages,” he noted. Riders like him are left to deal with the repercussions of delays, he added.
The Governor of New Jersey stresses the need for a fair, affordable deal
“It’s essential to ensure fairness for employees while reaching a final deal that is affordable for New Jersey commuters and taxpayers,” said Murphy.
This declaration followed a marathon 15-hour contract negotiation session, as reported by the union.
NJ Transit – the nation’s third-largest transport system – operates buses and railroads in the state, facilitating nearly 1 million weekday trips, including to New York City. The strike will halt all NJ Transit commuter trains that provide routes between Penn Station, one side of the Hudson River, and communities in northern New Jersey. Newark Airport has also faced unrelated delays recently.
The agency has recently unveiled its emergency response strategies, indicating plans to enhance bus services. Cautioning riders, the bus service will only add “very limited” capacity to existing New York commuter bus lines near the train station and will not commence until Monday.
Amid uncertainties prior to the strike, transit service was canceled for the Shakira concert on Thursday and Friday at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
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Associated Press reporters Cedar Attanasio and Larry Neumeister in New York, Harry Golden in Seattle, and Josh Funk in Omaha, Nebraska contributed to this report.
Source: apnews.com