North America’s largest commuter rail system is shutting down after union workers strike.
NEW YORK (AP) — The Long Island Rail Road, North America’s largest commuter rail system, was shut down Saturday amid protests by union workers. On strike This is the first time in thirty years.
The railroad, which serves New York City and its eastern suburbs, stopped running after midnight after five unions representing about half the workforce went on strike.
Unions and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the public agency that runs the railroads, have Negotiations for months Negotiations for a new contract have stalled over worker wages and health insurance premiums. President Donald Trump’s administration tried to broker a deal, but unions were legally allowed to strike starting at 12:01 a.m.
Kevin Sexton, national vice president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Conductors, said no new negotiations have been scheduled.
“We’re very divided on this,” Sexton said earlier Saturday. “We are very sorry for the situation we are in.”
MTA President Janno Lieber said the agency “gave the union everything they said they wanted in terms of wages,” and that it was clear to him that the union had always intended to strike.
First LIRR strike since 1994
The strike, the LIRR’s first since a two-day strike in 1994, is sure to cause headaches for sports fans who plan to attend a Yankees and Mets game this weekend or a Knicks playoff game at Madison Square Garden, located directly above the Manhattan Railroad’s Penn Station hub.
The station has no weekend hustle and bustle in the afternoon. Only a few dozen people walked through the main concourse, many hauling rolling luggage from departing or arriving Amtrak trains that were not affected by the strike.
Departure boards usually display upcoming trains by destination, rather than listing ghost trains marked “No Passengers.” There were signs posted at the customer service window stating that the railroad was closed due to the strike.
Access to the platforms was blocked off by bike rack barricades and rolling shutter doors, and MTA police officers stood guard directing people to alternative modes of transportation.
Closures could severely disrupt workday commutes
If the shutdown continues into the work week, the roughly 250,000 people who ride the system each weekday will be forced to find alternative routes from Long Island’s suburbs to the city. For many, this may mean driving on the area’s notoriously congested roads.
Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul accused the Trump administration of cutting the mediation time short and pushing the negotiations toward a strike. Trump, a Republican, responded on his “Truth Social” platform that he had nothing to do with the strike and “didn’t hear about it until this morning.”
“No, Casey, this is your fault, and looking at the facts now, you should not have allowed this to happen,” Trump said, reiterating his support for Long Island politician Bruce Blackman, who is challenging Hochul’s re-election bid. “If you can’t figure it out, let me know and I’ll tell you how to do it right.”
Hochul urged Long Islanders to work from home if possible. The MTA said it will provide limited shuttle service to and from New York City subway stations, but the contingency plan does not account for all the riders the system typically carries on weekdays.
While remote work options have greatly expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic, many people still need to be physically present, said Lisa Daglian, executive director of the MTA’s Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee, a commuter advocacy group.
“You work in construction, you work in health care, you work in school, or you’re graduating from school, that’s not always possible,” she said. “People need to get where they need to go.”
Dave Sumner, a 32-year locomotive engineer, said he expected Trump or Congress to step in before the strike lasts longer.
“We are very important to this area,” he said.
The MTA said the union’s initial demand for a wage increase would lead to higher fares and affect contract negotiations with other union workers.
The union representing locomotive engineers, mechanics, signalmen and other train workers says the big pay rise is necessary to help workers cope with the impact of inflation and rising costs of living.
Duane O’Connor, who picketed Penn Station in the morning, said while he regrets the impact on commuters, workers are simply asking for fair wages.
“I feel terrible. It’s terrible. This is going to hurt the island, this is going to hurt the city…all we’re asking for is a fair wage,” he said.
“We haven’t had a contract in almost three years,” said Karl Bischoff, a locomotive engineer who has worked for the LIRR for 29 years. “If they had a building contract like that, the place would be in worse shape.”
Gerard Bringmann, chairman of the LIRR Commuter Committee, a rider advocacy group, said in a statement that if the union gets the raise they want, “it will be at the expense of our riders, who will see their fares double next year to 8 percent.” “Like union workers, we bear the burden of rising costs of living on Long Island.”
William Dwyer, a labor relations expert at Rutgers University in New Jersey, said the MTA may be under pressure to reach a deal to end the shutdown as Hochul runs for re-election. three days strike last year.
“She’s running for re-election, and Long Island is a critical vote for her,” Dwyer said. “So if ticket prices go up significantly, that doesn’t bode well for her on Election Day.”
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