Hudson County Executive Craig Guy remains hopeful that the NJ Transit strike can be averted before Friday at 12:01 a.m., noting that he is monitoring the ongoing negotiations.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“As commuters throughout Hudson County and New Jersey prepare for an imminent strike by NJ Transit train engineers, I want to assure residents that I am monitoring ongoing negotiations to avoid this strike that will negatively impact hundreds of thousands of Garden State residents trying to get to work tomorrow,” he said in a statement.
“I have communicated with both Governor Phil Murphy & NJ Transit President & CEO Kris Kolluri, and I have relayed the critical importance of our rail transportation system for the entire state and, most importantly, for the County of Hudson. Governor Murphy is an integral part of these intense negotiations, and I am hopeful that this dispute can be resolved between NJ Transit and the unions without any disruption of service.”
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (BLET) membership voted down a tentative agreement between NJ Transit and has scoffed at subsequent offers as negotiations enter the eleventh hour.
“If anyone’s commute is disrupted because workers are forced to strike, it’s the fault of the executives who mismanage New Jersey Transit,” NJ Transit Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien said in a statement.
“The employer wants to pay these workers below the industry standard. They’ve been bargaining for six years. It’s time for the railroad to quit playing games with our members and finally give them the fair deal they’ve earned.”
The 450 locomotive engineers employed by NJT haven’t received a raise since 2019, when their contract first became amendable, according to O’Brien.
New York Waterway said on Tuesday that they are prepared to offer increased ferry service in areas including Weehawken, Hoboken, and Jersey City in the event that the NJ Transit strike begins tomorrow.
