CITYWIDE — SEVERAL LONG ISLAND Rail Road unions may go on strike as early as this Saturday, May 16, as negotiations with MTA drag on. Gov. Kathy Hochul urged the estimated 270,000 Long Island commuters to plan to work from home early next week, if possible, in preparation for a potential total shutdown of the LIRR.
The five unions, which represent 3,500 LIRR employees, are calling for an agreement that accounts for inflation and the rising cost of living on Long Island. The MTA argued that they would have to raise fares or reduce service to meet the demands and offered a lump sum payment instead of wage increases.
In a statement Thursday, the LIRR unions said: “Unless MTA gets serious about its wage proposals a strike in less than 48 hours is likely. MTA’s news conference yesterday following contract talks was an astounding lesson in misinformation and disinformation.”
Though talks continue between the MTA and unions, a strike could go into effect on Saturday morning if no deal is reached. This would be the first LIRR labor strike since 1994, when the commuter rail shut down for two days.
✰✰✰
