New Jersey Transit officials and labor-union representatives left wage negotiations without a deal on Monday, making a strike in less than two weeks more likely.
The two parties are not currently scheduled to meet again before May 16, the earliest the rail engineers can walk off the job, according to a spokesperson for the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, the labor group representing workers.
Engineers are responsible for operating the trains and driving them between each station. If the workers strike later this month, rail service would be suspended. Transit officials have urged riders to work remotely and travel on buses or the light-rail only for essential purposes. Across the system, NJ Transit operates more than 925,000 weekday trips.
The union said NJ Transit officials rejected their most recent proposal, BLET General Chairman Tom Haas said in an emailed statement.
NJ Transit Chief Executive Officer Kris Kolluri said in a press conference on Tuesday that the proposal the union offered was unaffordable and would require increasing a tax on New Jersey businesses or raising fares by more than 30%.
