NJ Transit rail engineers will officially go on strike Friday after the union and the agency failed to reach an agreement.
Gov. Phil Murphy and NJ Transit President and CEO Kris Kolluri held a press conference around 10:45 p.m. Thursday, saying no deal had been reached.
"Let's get back to the table and seal a deal, and let's move forward on meeting our most important responsibility of all – serving the needs of New Jerseyans who rely on NJ Transit," Murphy said. "We must reach a final deal that is both fair to employees and at the same time affordable for New Jersey's commuters and taxpayers. Again, we cannot ignore the agency's fiscal realities."
"Any deal we strike must be fair and fiscally responsible," Kolluri said.
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) held their own press conference a short time later. Representatives with a union claimed NJ Transit walked away from the table at 10 p.m., two hours before the deadline.
Union representatives said they are ready to meet again when NJ Transit comes back with "a proper offer."
Where things stand with a potential NJ Transit strikeNJ Transit and BLET, which represents about 460 members, went back to the table at 9 a.m. Thursday and talks continued for over 12 hours.
The union has been at odds with NJ Transit over pay raises, saying they haven't had a raise in five years. NJ Transit has said the last deal the union walked away from was $49.82 an hour, which is 10 cents less than what LIRR engineers make.
The union says those numbers are misleading because LIRR engineers are working without a contract.
Kolluri said talks have been constructive and he wants a deal.
"I think nobody wants a strike. My principle is never change, which, I want to give them a fair wage, but I also have to make sure it is reasonable from a cost standpoint to the fare ride payers and the taxpayers of New Jersey," he said.
"Any time that we're sitting down and talking, there's a chance that we can come to a resolution," BLET General Chairman Tom Haas said.
The union is already planning picket lines Friday morning at NJ Transit headquarters in Newark, Penn Station in Manhattan, and at the train station near the casinos in Atlantic City.
What NJ Transit riders need to know for tomorrow's commuteGov. Phil Murphy says he may have to declare a state of emergency due to the strike.
Meanwhile, NJ Transit has a contingency plan that would go into effect Monday but says it will only accommodate 20% of daily riders. The agency is asking people to work from home, if possible.
The contingency plan includes cross honoring rail tickets on buses, light rail lines and the MTA for West of Hudson service. It also includes adding four more Park-and-Rides in Secaucus, Hamilton, at the Woodbridge Center Mall and the PNC Arts Center.
Other available options include PATH or Amtrak trains, as well as privately owned by companies, like Yankee, that can be booked through an app called Boxcar. CLICK HERE for more details.
Commuters who spoke to CBS News New York said they don't want a strike, but they support the union.
"Pay the people what they deserve, know what I am saying? This job ain't easy," Newark resident Messiah Ford said.
"I would feel much better if the workers here are just getting paid a good wage so that I know they're here, they're focused and they know what they are doing because it's a safety thing," Emerson resident Olivia Burns said.
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Christine Sloan