Unionized Long Island Rail Road workers are the best paid in the nation. On average they make $87,000 a year – that’s 56% more than the average Long Islander. The MTA has offered to up their pay 17%, limit their healthcare contributions to 2%, and continue their already generous pensions. And we found a way to pay for it without raising fares or jeopardizing our long-term capital program by asking for modest changes for workers who haven’t even been hired yet.
So current employees would get everything that they asked for, new employees would still be the best paid railroad employees in the nation, and all workers would still have great benefits and secure pensions. Even with all of this, the union leadership is still
threatening to take the 5,400 unionized LIRR workers on strike, stranding 300,000 riders and causing massive disruption to families and businesses across Long Island. Is this worth a strike?
To get all the facts, go to mta.info.
2014 Metropolitan Transportation Authority
