Biden Signs Executive Order to Address New Jersey Transit Labor Dispute

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — President Joe Biden has signed an executive order to establish a Presidential Emergency Board aimed at resolving a labor dispute between New Jersey Transit and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen. This action comes as both parties seek to negotiate a new labor agreement, which has been contentious since the engineers' contract expired in 2019. The White House indicated that the president's intervention was necessary after a formal request from one of the involved parties. The newly formed board will facilitate discussions and is expected to receive settlement proposals from both sides within the next two months. Following this, the board will recommend the most reasonable offer to the president. While the board's report is not legally binding, it carries significant implications; if a strike were to occur, the party whose proposal is not selected would lose certain legal protections and benefits. New Jersey Transit, which operates both bus and rail services in the state, expressed that the timeline for any potential strike has been extended to March 2025 due to the president's recent action. This development alleviates immediate concerns about a strike, allowing more time for negotiations. The union has yet to provide a comment on the situation, as both sides prepare for the upcoming discussions facilitated by the Presidential Emergency Board.