The MTA announced contingency service options for commuters as a potential Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) strike could cause major disruptions to service as early as next week.
“We are bracing for a strike that will halt LIRR service for over 270,000 daily riders. It could start as soon as 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 18,” said LIRR President Rob Free.
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) are threatening over pay raises. According to Newsday, the MTA wants BLET and unions negotiating with it to take a three-year contract with 3% raises in the first and second years, and a 3.5% raise in the third year. But unions said the 9.5% increase does not keep up with the local cost of living.
Kevin Sexton, vice president of BLET, said their request is reasonable, but the MTA has been putting it off.
“BLET members and the members of four other unions at the LIRR have gone since 2022 without a raise,” Sexton said. “What we’re asking for is exceedingly reasonable, essentially the status quo when it comes to the cost of living. MTA’s response has been to stall, stall, stall.”
Free said the MTA has attempted to “negotiate in good faith” with the five unions, which also include Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, and the Transportation Communications Union.
“A fair offer has been made and accepted by a majority of all the other representative employees at the LIRR,” Free said, adding that the positions represent cleaners, conductors, mechanics, supervisors and others in the system’s workforce. “Instead, these five labor organizations, which are among the highest paid in the nation, want 6.5% more than everyone else without any concessions, including outdated work rules that significantly inflate salaries.”
LIRR strike contingency plan
Should LIRR workers walk off the job, the MTA will offer limited — but free — shuttle bus service coming from points east to subway connections in Queens. Those shuttle buses will run every 10 minutes during the weekday peak hours (toward Manhattan from 4:30 to 9 a.m. and to Long Island from 3 to 7 p.m.) from three LIRR stations: Belmore, Hicksville and Ronkonkoma.
Customer ambassadors will be at the stations to assist riders.
Nassau County commuters would be able to use NICE buses to connect with the city’s 7 train at Flushing-Main Street or travel to Jamaica Bus Terminal.
For commuters driving or getting dropped off by car, the MTA recommends using stations such as Woodhaven Boulevard on the J/Z line; Aqueduct-North Conduit Avenue, Ozone Park-Lefferts Boulevard, Grant Avenue and Far Rockaway-Mott Avenue on the A line; and Sheepshead Bay on the B and Q lines.
Pending board approval, the MTA would also issue pro-rated refunds to September monthly ticket holders for business days with service impacted by the strike.
The MTA is encouraging all those who can work from home to do so for the duration of any work stoppage.
“We are trying our best to accommodate essential workers in an effort to not leave anyone stranded,” Shanifah Rieara, chief customer officer for the MTA, said.
More information about impacted LIRR service is available at mta.info.
