The penthouse views mentioned by union members refers to NJ Transit’s new offices at Gateway Center in Newark, leased for 25 years at a cost of $500 million. It has been a rallying point for union criticism that the agency has money to move from a building they own, but not to provide a competitive wage for engineers.

NJ Transit is already preparing for the walkout by urging as many people as possible to start working from home.

With a strike looming as soon as Friday, officials of NJ Transit and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers met with the National Mediation Board on Monday in Washington. No agreement was reached. NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri thanked the board for convening the meeting in a statement,

A possible NJ Transit rail strike doesn’t lie! NJ Transit announced it’s canceling train and bus service to MetLife Stadium for the Shakira concerts on Thursday and Friday due to the possibility of NJ Transit engineers calling a strike by the end of the week.