As the clock struck midnight and New Jersey Transit locomotive engineers officially went on strike May 16, leaving the state agency without a rail service, elected officials started to sound off on what that would mean for the state.
U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, who is also running in the Democratic gubernatorial primary, said she is “deeply concerned about the impact that this loss in rail service will have on families and commuters across New Jersey.”
“For so many in our community, NJ Transit isn’t optional — it’s how we get to work, school, and critical appointments,” she said in a statement.
Sherrill said that she had spoken with both NJ Transit and the engineer’s union, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, and said that while they “have gone years without a contract and deserve fair treatment and a livable wage,” she is urging everyone to return to the table because “disruptions in service will have a serious ripple effect across our state and region.”
Gov. Phil Murphy said during a press conference Thursday night he was “not surprised” by the decision to strike but was ready to resume talks.
“This strike will upend the lives of hundreds of thousands of New Jerseyans,” Murphy said. “My message tonight to our locomotive engineers is this: the path to a new contract will be paved at the negotiating table, not the picket line.”
More: New Jerseyans react on social media to the NJ Transit train strike
“Ultimately, it is the people of New Jersey who will suffer because of this strike,” Murphy said. “I am calling on our locomotive engineers to remain at the negotiating table to reach a fair and affordable deal so we can get the trains moving again as soon as possible and avoid raising costs on riders and taxpayers.”
This is the second strike in the agency’s 42-year railroad history but bus service remains in operation throughout the state, and the agency has plans to enhance bus capacity during the strike.
The strike comes after a standoff that dates back more than five years as the engineers previous contract expired on Dec. 31, 2019. The main sticking point of the negotiations has been wages, the engineers saying they should make a salary similar to what engineers make at Amtrak, the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North.
The last work stoppage was in 1983, just as the agency took over control of the railroad system, and lasted 34 days. In 2016, the locomotive engineers were hours away from a work stoppage when they struck an agreement with the agency and avoided a strike.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ elected officials react to NJ Transit train strike
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