NJ Transit Strike: Commuters Face Chaos Amidst Wage Dispute

New Jersey Faces First Railroad Strike in Decades New Jersey is facing its first major railroad strike in over four decades, impacting hundreds of thousands of commuters. The strike, which began at midnight on May 16th, 2025, involves locomotive engineers from NJ Transit and management. The primary point of contention is a significant pay disparity compared to engineers in similar roles at Long Island Railroad and Metro-North. "We're fighting for fair wages and parity with our colleagues in other systems," stated one striking engineer, highlighting the frustration among workers. Management, however, argues that meeting the engineers' demands would have severe financial consequences for NJ Transit and potentially lead to similar demands from other unions. The strike has brought rail service to a complete standstill, affecting over 350,000 daily passengers. Negotiations are ongoing, but the resolution remains uncertain, leaving commuters facing significant disruptions in their daily routines. The situation underscores the importance of fair labor practices and the potential impact of unresolved labor disputes on essential public services.