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NJ Transit service resuming tomorrow
FOX 5 NY's Meredith Gorman is live from Hoboken after speaking with relieved commuters.
NEW JERSEY - New Jersey Transit and the engineers' union reached a tentative agreement on Sunday on a new contract, ending the three-day strike – but rail service isn't restarting right away.
NJ Transit rail strike: Latest
What we know:
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen – North America's oldest rail labor union – initially announced regular train service would begin again Monday.
People disembark from a NJ Transit commuter train after arriving at the transit terminal on November 2, 2022, in Hoboken, New Jersey. (Photo by Gary Hershorn/Getty Images)
But moments later, union spokesperson Jamie Horwitz said NJ Transit informed them it would be Tuesday at 12:01 a.m. instead. The 24-hour period gives the agency time for infrastructure inspection and preparation.
NJ Transit President and CEO Kris Kolluri said park and rides and additional bus service will be available Monday. Both Kolluri and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy urged commuters, if possible, to work from home for one more day.
‘Fair and fiscally responsible’
What they're saying:
"The deal, as the governor correctly said, was fair and fiscally responsible," Kolluri said. "I think I've said it over 1,000 times now that we have always sought just that."
Commuters wait for the Journal Square Path Transit line train following heavy delays during rush hour at 33rd Street on May 16, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images)
"We've been pounding away on this point, it has to be fair for the locomotive engineers, but it also has to be fiscally acceptable to NJ Transit and indirectly, therefore for taxpayers," Gov. Murphy said.
Why is NJ Transit on strike?
The backstory:
The strike, which began Friday, marked the state's first transit walkout in over 40 years, forcing commuters to seek alternative transportation methods such as buses, cars, taxis, and boats, or to stay home.
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Officials announce NJ Transit deal, end of strike
Watch as NJ Gov. Phil Murphy and NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri detail the deal reached with the union and what commuters should expect this week.
The primary issue was achieving a wage increase for engineers without causing financial strain on the transit agency. The union's general chairman, Tom Haas, stated the agreement boosts hourly pay beyond previous proposals and was reached without significant budget issues or fare increases.
The strike highlighted the need for competitive wages, as engineers have been leaving for better-paying jobs at Amtrak and Long Island Railroad. The union had sought an average salary increase from $113,000 to $170,000, while NJ Transit leadership disputed these figures, citing average total earnings of $135,000 annually, with some engineers earning over $200,000.
What's next:
The agreement still needs to be ratified by the union and get approval from the New Jersey Transit Board, but both sides are confident it will pass.
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