About 400 train engineers represented by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen walked off the job Friday in a dispute with the state of New Jersey, with wages the primary issue. Hundreds of thousands of commuters are affected.
Leadership for striking New Jersey engineers said they planned to meet with the state on Saturday to potentially negotiate their return to work.
The New York Post reported that the Saturday meeting held out the chance of a return to work agreement that would end the need for a scheduled mediation meeting on Sunday.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy criticized the union on Friday for leaving about 350,000 commuters with no ride.
NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri said the agency planned to bring in additional buses to help state residents with their travels. The Post reported that Kolluri cautioned that additional buses would be unable to handle the load.
That leaves thousands of New Jersey residents wondering how they will get to their jobs, or even to get their groceries.
A National Mediation Board meeting is still scheduled for Sunday.
The union said it’s looking for the first pay increase for engineers since 2019. The Post reported that the union and the state are far apart on the proposed raise and dispute each other’s figures.