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New Jersey Transit and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) have reached a tentative agreement to end a three-day strike by 450 train engineers. The strike, which began on Friday, disrupted services for 350,000 commuters. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announced that trains will resume operations on Tuesday (May 20), as it takes approximately 24 hours to inspect and prepare the infrastructure.
The strike was the first statewide transit strike in New Jersey in over 40 years and centered around pay disputes. According to CNN, BLET members had not received a pay increase in five years. Tom Haas, the general chairman for BLET, stated that the agreement boosts hourly pay beyond previous proposals. Although specific terms have not been disclosed, the agreement will be sent to union members for consideration and will be voted on by the NJ Transit board on June 11.
Governor Murphy expressed relief over the agreement, stating, "New Jersey’s first rail strike in decades has officially come to an end." NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri mentioned that supplemental bus services and park-and-ride options will remain operational on Monday, and encouraged those who can work from home to do so one more day.