Latest updates: LIRR unions say sides still far apart in strike talks, no deal tonight

12-hour bargaining session yields no agreement; 2 sides reconvening at 10 a.m. Friday

A 12-hour negotiation session between MTA managers and five LIRR unions ended without a deal, and with the two sides “very far apart,” according to one labor leader.

The talks broke shortly before 10 p.m., and are expected to reconvene at 10 a.m. — just 14 hours before a strike deadline.

Asked if he thought a deal could be made with such little time left on the clock, Kevin Sexton, national vice president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, said “I hope so.”

"What I can say is, at this point, the parties are very far apart,” Sexton said upon leaving the MTA’s Manhattan headquarters with other union leaders. "But we look forward to meeting with them tomorrow, and we'll take it from there.”

Earlier in the day, the two sides noted incremental progress during Thursday’s marathon negotiations.

LIRR on brink of shutdown as strike talks between unions, MTA go into night

A marathon negotiation session between MTA managers and LIRR union leaders dragged into the night Thursday as the sides worked on an agreement that would avert a railroad strike and leave tens of thousands of New Yorkers struggling to get on, off and around Long Island.

While both sides acknowledged incremental progress in Thursday’s talks — which, for the first time, were attended by the transit authority's chairman — both sides also dialed up the temperature ahead of the Saturday, 12:01 a.m. deadline. MTA Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials defended a threat to fire probationary some workers if they strike, and the unions circulated an image of a countdown clock ticking toward the railroad’s first work stoppage in more than three decades.

Adding to commuters' anxiety, and highlighting the Long Island Rail Road's LIRR’s critical role in the region’s transportation network, a fire inside an East River rail tunnel shut down train service at Penn during the evening rush hour, sending riders scurrying to find other ways to get home.

Read more here. 

Counting down to a possible LIRR strike

Union workers are threatening to walk out Saturday morning as negotiations get down to the wire.

Incremental progress as both sides look to avoid a first work stoppage in decades

Long Island Rail Road union leaders and MTA managers engaged in continuing marathon negotiations Thursday night as the two sides worked on a contract agreement to avert a railroad strike and leave tens of thousands of New Yorkers struggling to get on, off and around Long Island.

While the two sides acknowledged incremental progress in Thursday’s talks — which, for the first time, were attended by the transit authority's chairman — they also dialed up the temperature ahead of the Saturday, 12:01 a.m. deadline to avoid the railroad’s first work stoppage in more than three decades.

"We’ve been bargaining throughout the day, passing proposals back and forth," Kevin Sexton, national vice president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen and a spokesman for the coalition of five unions. "We’re going to do everything in our power to reach an agreement, but I cannot guarantee that at this time."

Adding to commuters' anxiety, and highlighting the LIRR’s critical role in the region’s transportation network, a fire inside an East River rail tunnel shut down train service at Penn during the evening rush hour, sending riders scurrying to find other ways to get home.

Marathon contract negotiations ongoing, but settlement Thursday unlikely

The longest negotiation session to date in the ongoing contract dispute between the MTA and five LIRR unions continued into Thursday night.

After breaking for couple hours, a union source confirmed that the labor leaders were back in the MTA’s Lower Manhattan headquarters.

The marathon session began at 10 a.m. Representatives from both sides have said they are willing to continue talking as long as it takes to make a deal, but have also said a settlement Thursday appears unlikely.

Penn Station fire brings commuters, and business, to Grand Central ... for now

The fire that sent crowds of commuters to Grand Central Terminal was a boon for the handful of businesses that line the corridor above the LIRR tracks. Whereas the main concourse dining area draws customers from Metro North, the subway and the LIRR, small booths selling food to rushing Long Islanders are dependent on those commuters.

“People find this area just because of these trains,” Sarai Moor, an employee at Macaron Cafe said. “People normally don't visit this place unless they have to.”

Despite its name, Macaron Cafe is a booth that sells colorful French-style macaron cookies.

Moor said a strike over the weekend won't affect them because they only open on weekdays. But some of booths won't open if there's a strike and she's not sure what will happen to her job Monday if a strike is on.

Moor is paid hourly and if there's a strike and they don't open, “I'm not going to get paid,” she said. Still, she said she would support a strike. “They haven't gotten a raise in three years,” Moor said.

LIRR service from Penn Station suspended after earlier fire

Long Island Rail Road service from Penn Station remains suspended as crews repair damage from an earlier fire in an East River tunnel.

The MTA is advising commuters to the Island to take trains to either Grand Central of Jamaica and ride trains east from there.

"Amtrak crews are working through the night to repair damage caused by the fire,” A Metropolitan Transportation Authority spokeswoman told Newsday about 7 p.m. Thursday. “As of now, the LIRR does not have a prediction for tomorrow morning's rush hour. The latest information can be found on mta.info."

The LIRR on its website told customers they could expect delays, cancellations and reroutes along the Babylon, Port Washington and Ronkonkoma branches. Many trains were being diverted to Grand Central.

John McCarthy, chief of policy and external relations for the MTA, said, "There will definitely be impacts" on the LIRR Friday morning, but the authority was waiting to hear an update from Amtrak to understand to what extent.

MTA official: Contract agreement 'very close' but work remains

MTA managers and Long Island Rail Road union leaders are “very close” on a contract agreement, but “there’s still work to be done” to close a deal that will avert an union strike, a key Metropolitan Transportation Authority official said Thursday evening.

Briefing reporters during a break in a marathon bargaining session that began at 10 a.m, John McCarthy, chief of policy and external relations for the MTA, called Thursday’s talks “very serious,” and noted that they’ve included, for the first time, MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber.

“There's still work to be done, so it's like any negotiation. There’s a lot of back and forth, but we're not going to give up on this,” McCarthy said, speaking outside the MTA’s Lower Manhattan headquarters, where the talks are being held. “This is very important. It's important for riders on the Long Island Rail Road and so we're gonna be in it as long as it takes.”

McCarthy said he expects the talks will continue into Friday.

“I think we're optimistic that a deal can be done,” McCarthy said. “We are very close, but we need to do some more work.”

'Still a long way to go' toward an agreement, union official says

Seven hours into a marathon bargaining session between MTA managers and LIRR labor leaders, there’s still “a long way to go” to reach a deal to avert a shutdown of the railroad this Saturday, and reaching a settlement some time Thursday remains “unlikely,” a key union official said.

Emerging from the talks alongside fellow union leaders, Kevin Sexton, national vice president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen and a spokesman for the coalition of five unions, said it is “unlikely in my opinion at this point in time” that both sides would close a deal before Friday in the three-year long contract dispute.

“We’ve been bargaining throughout the day, passing proposals back and forth,” Sexton said. “We’re going to do everything in our power to reach an agreement, but I cannot guarantee that at this time.”

Speaking shortly after 5 p.m., the union leaders, with rolling suitcases in tow, said they were heading to check into a hotel and would reconvene talks with MTA negotiators at 7 p.m.
“We’ll stay as long as we can stay. We’re here to work,” Sexton added.

The sticking point in negotiations, Sexton said, remains the MTA’s proposal to provide workers extra pay in the fourth year of a new contract in the form of a lump sum that the MTA has said would be the equivalent of a 4.5% raise.

The unions have held firm that they want increases to their wages, and not a lump sum, which they’ve dismissed as a “gimmick.”

Asked if any progress was made Thursday on the issue, Sexton said “We’re working toward it slowly. … Very, very slowly

For some, working from home is not option. Neither is the commute.

Alyssa Parker, 35, of Douglaston, usually commutes to Penn Station to her job in ad sales, but rushed to Grand Central Thursday after trains were canceled due to the morning fire at Penn.

“Missed my train by 15 seconds,” Parker said. “You don't realize how big Grand Central Terminal is.” She said the 7 train from the West Side was packed.
“Everyone's in a bad mood,” Parker said.

If the LIRR workers strike, “I’m working from home,” she said. “Thankfully my director is a Long Islander."

Parker said she prefers to work in the office with her colleagues after the years that COVID-19 forced people to work remotely.

“It's like PTSD from the pandemic,” Parker said.

Tom Faulding, 55, from Baldwin said a strike would hurt him financially because his IT job doing networking can only be in person.

“I'm an hourly worker, I have no vacation days,” Faulding said. “If I don't go into the city, I don't work … you don't work you don't get paid.”

He said he wouldn't drive into the city if there's a strike because he’d spend half a day driving. He recalled the last LIRR strike when he did drive to and from work. “It took me two and half hours just to get to Baldwin,” Faulding said. “I'm just not going to work.”

Still, he said he doesn't begrudge the LIRR workers.

“They're workers just like you and me,” Faulding said. “People have to make money however they can.”

Unions: No deal likely today

Union officials denounce MTA memo on probationary workers

MTA officials on Thursday offered a brief response to union accusations that managers are threatening to fire some employees if they go on strike.

A memo by an MTA labor relations official to LIRR employees Tuesday warned that probationary employees are required to show up to work during a strike. “Failure to do so may result in your termination,” the memo said.

Union officials have called the apparent threat “troubling” and potentially illegal.

Asked about the letter, the MTA in a statement said only: “All LIRR employees are required to report to work.”

Marathon negotiating session continues

Six hours into Thursday’s marathon negotiating session between MTA managers and LIRR labor leaders, there was no word of a deal to avert a union strike Saturday.

But for a quick visit to the Starbucks by the MTA's chief negotiator, neither side has emerged since talks began around 10 a.m. at the MTA’s offices at 2 Broadway in Lower Manhattan.

Outside, several news crews have set up video cameras pointing at a makeshift shift lectern, with hopes of someone providing an update on talks.

New Yorkers and international tourists have stopped by regularly throughout the day to ask what’s going on. Some have expressed how they hope a settlement is reached soon.

Strike would be a 'hassle,' but there's also support for rail workers

Max Ayala, 23, of Valley Stream, wearing a purple NYU graduation gown, said a strike would be a “hassle.” Ayala said he graduated in December with an undergraduate degree in environmental science but walked at the graduation ceremony Thursday. Ayala works at the university doing research on urban parks.

“I wonder what’s going to happen — I do go into the office,” Ayala said. “I guess I would work at home.”

Matt B. Guzman, 56, of Inwood, takes the LIRR to his job in Manhattan training first responders and security guards.

If there’s a strike, “that’s going to hurt me a little bit but I’ve got the A train about a mile from my house,” he said.

“I have the option to drive but I don’t like doing that because of the traffic and the congestion toll,” Guzman added. “It is what it is.”
Guzman said he supported the LIRR workers.

“They’ve been working such a long time without a raise,” Guzman said. “What they’re asking, they should get."

Rail strike? Then 'you kind of roll with the punches'

Mid-afternoon at Grand Central Terminal, and commuters are scanning the electronic board to see when their tracks will be called.

Carlo Catalano, 54, of Baldwin, said he left work early due to the fire that shut down trains into Penn Station, his usual commuting hub near his job in IT.

“I didn’t want to get stuck in the city,” Catalano said.

If the LIRR workers strike, he said he’ll be hitting the road.

“I’ll have to drive in,” Catalano said. “I can’t really work from home.”

He said he doesn’t think the rail workers will really strike, but if they do, “you kind of roll with the punches.”

Strike likely to hurt businesses at Penn, MSG

Maddie’s Boba Lab, tucked between track stairs in a side corridor of Penn Station, opened just three months ago and is still trying to attract customers, said William Leong, a manager.

Now, a looming strike would hurt Maddie’s, a play on Madison Square Garden upstairs.

It’s already challenging enough: commuters are typically in a hurry, hybrid work schedules mean business isn’t strong on certain days of the week, the business is tucked away off the main corridors, the tip jar has been stolen.

A strike won’t help the business.

“Very slow as is,” he lamented as a customer waited for a boba drink, which came to America from Taiwan.

An important clientele, he said, are MTA and other workers, but if there’s a strike, that business will diminish.

How to take the bus ... to the train station bus

Suffolk commuters will have fewer options than those from Nassau to commute to and from New York City without a car if the LIRR shuts down.

Unlike Nassau’s NICE Bus system, which has several routes linking to subway stations in Queens, Suffolk County Transit buses don’t go into New York City.

And so Suffolk bus riders looking for a connection to Manhattan will have to navigate to the three LIRR stations in the county where shuttle buses will run to and from Queens. Those are Ronkonkoma, Huntington and Bay Shore.

The Huntington station is served by the SC1 bus line, as well as Huntington HART H10 and H20 buses.

Ronkonkoma is served by the SC51, 52A and 52B buses.

And Bay Shore is served by the SC2, 7, 11 and 12 buses. 

How would service stop? An 'orderly shutdown'

In the event of a union strike, riders can expect an “orderly shutdown” of LIRR service similar to what they saw ahead of February’s historic blizzard, one key MTA official said.

John McCarthy, chief of policy and external relations for the MTA, said Tuesday that railroad management would work with labor leaders to wind down service Friday evening, with the goal of having all trains stored in yards ahead of the Saturday 12:01 a.m. strike deadline.

At some point Friday, the MTA would begin advising customers, including through the TrainTime app, about the last departures on each branch before trains stop running altogether.

McCarthy compared a potential winding down of LIRR service to what riders experienced during the Feb. 22 winter storm, when the railroad temporarily suspended service for more than 24 hours.

“Ahead of the storm, we told people when the last train was gonna be at different destinations, and there's an expectation they would get that kind of information,” McCarthy said. “This is about making people aware, so they’re not caught off guard.”

'It'll just be mass chaos'

City high school math teacher Bailey Walker, of East Northport, thinks — and hopes — that strike threats are all talk, that a deal will be reached before midnight Friday into Saturday and there will be no strike.

“If it does, it will be disastrous,” she said. “I'm on Long Island, so alternative for travel is buses, which there aren't enough buses for everyone. So it’ll just be mass chaos.

"People won't be able to get to work. People who can't work from home won't be able to go in. It’ll be bad.”

Penn business owner bracing for 40% drop in sales

A red warning triangle surrounding an exclamation point is flashing on a screen just opposite Realmuto Alta Pasticceria Italiana in Penn Station: “Possible LIRR Strike.”

That possibility worries manager Edgar Barrientos, standing among gelato, tiramisu, cannoli and other Italian desserts.

When NJ Transit workers went on strike last year, business went down “a lot,” roughly 20% to 30%, he said, and given the store’s even closer proximity to the LIRR, he’s worried it’ll be even worse if there’s an LIRR strike. Maybe a 40% decrease.

“It’ll be a big impact. That’s what we run on — Long Island Rail Road, everyone that commutes here, everyone that comes here,” said Barrientos, 25.

'The clock is ticking.' Union circulating this poster

The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, one of the unions involved, has begun circulating this poster to its members.

MTA Board would have to approve any deal between management, union

A handshake agreement between MTA management and LIRR labor leaders won’t be enough to seal a new contract for railroad workers, even if members ratify it.

Like all MTA labor contracts, a tentative agreement would have to eventually be approved by the MTA Board, whose 23 members represent various parts of the MTA service region, including Nassau and Suffolk.

Sammy Chu, of Lindenhurst, who was appointed by Gov. Kathy Hochul, said he and his fellow board members are “very concerned” about nailing down a contract that the publicly funded MTA can afford.

MTA officials have said paying workers more than they’ve budgeted for could put pressure on the transit authority to further raise fares, reduce service, or cut jobs.

“I am as pro labor as it gets. My entire value system is born from the union movement, but there are a lot of consequences to consider here,” Chu said. “We worked really hard ... to get the budget where it needed to be.”

Another complicating factor if a settlement isn’t reached before Saturday’s deadline: the New York Knicks having “the season of the century.”

The NBA franchise could kick off its next round of playoffs on Sunday at Madison Square Garden, right above Penn Station.

“I don't think anyone wants the Knicks making it to the Eastern Conference Finals to go down in history because getting to the game was a total nightmare,” Chu said.

But, Chu added, “the MTA heading toward insolvency will dwarf the impact of a traffic jam around MSG.”

Station Yards biz owner: Strike would pose 'huge problem'

At Station Yards in Ronkonkoma, many businesses told Newsday they fear the strike would hurt their establishments, as they depend on commuters.

"I'm very nervous about potential strike," said Abby Marr, general manager at Mexican restaurant Lucharitos Taco & Tequila Bar. "I think it's not only going to impact us, but all the businesses around here. We rely heavily on that foot traffic that does come from the train, and not to mention this is a new development."

Located in the center of the Station Yards square, Lucharitos has been in operation for over a year, Marr said.

While business has been good as the establishment tries to host events and interact with customers on social media, Marr said she sees a "huge problem" with the potential strike.

"We rely a lot of people to discover this new development that come off the train," she said. "We rely heavy on the weather as well, so hearing that is going to be great weather, finally, on the weekend and a potential strike does make me a little nervous."

If the strike is still ongoing, if this continues for extended period of time into the summer, that's when the problems will start to pile up a little bit more.

— Rohnit "Ron" Narchal, co-owner of Wine & Liquor Cabinet

Rohnit "Ron" Narchal, 21, of Holbrook, and his father co-own Wine & Liquor Cabinet, which just had a grand opening last month.

As a new business that competes with a convenience store closer to the tracks, Narchal said they are still trying to establish themselves with the community.

The store is within the inner square of Station Yards.

"Right now, we do have commuters from the train come in," Narchal said.

Narchal said the store wouldn't immediately feel effects if a strike were to happen. But it could hurt business as the weather gets warmer and when people buy a six pack to take on the train to a sports game.

"If the strike is still ongoing, if this continues for extended period of time into the summer, that's when the problems will start to pile up a little bit more," he said.

If they're not taking the train, they're not coming here. That's really what it boils down to.

— Scott Palmer, general manager of Great South Bay Brewery

Scott Palmer, general manager of Great South Bay Brewery, told Newsday he fears customers won't come to pregame or postgame various sporting events, like the upcoming Subway Series at CitiField this weekend, if a strike were to occur.

"They come in, they have lunch, they have dinner… They have a few beers, they take a six pack, they get on the train," Palmer said. "If they're not taking the train, they're not coming here. That's really what it boils down to."

Palmer said the brewery plans to have pregame specials this weekend.

Palmer said he receives an influx of business around hockey games at UBS in the wintertime as well.

But the warmer months tend to be slower for business as many people spend time outside or at the beach.

"It's been a long time since they've come this far," Palmer said of the LIRR workers. "We'll see how it works out."

Right now, hasn't really affected us… but I'm kind of worried though.

— Carl Klass, manager and head chef of The Pink Fin

Carl Klass, manager and head chef of fast casual poke bowl restaurant The Pink Fin, also told Newsday he fears that commuters won't patronize the store if a strike occurs.

"I mean, right now, hasn't really affected us… but I'm kind of worried though," he said.

Klass said he is also worried about his fiancee, who works as a teacher in New Jersey and relies on the transit system to get to school.

Every day she wakes up around 4 a.m. to ride the LIRR, then take a train to New Jersey before ultimately taking an Uber to work — about a 3-hour commute one way, Klass said.

Lately, she has had difficulty walking and is looking for a closer job, he said.

"I feel terrible," Klass said. "I never really thought it would impact her that much."

Klass also added he thinks the LIRR union workers should receive a raise as they "work hard."

"They should work something out," Klass said. "Because without transportation, you know, it's going to be a problem."

'We're praying the strike doesn't happen'

Dr. Lori Escallier, who works at Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn, said she prefers the LIRR to get between Southampton, where she has a home, and the city. The train costs her around $10 from Ronkonkoma, compared to the more than $100 cost of using an Uber and the Hampton Jitney.

The LIRR is also faster due to avoiding Manhattan traffic, which can take 1½ to 3 hours to her trip, she said.

"We're praying the strike doesn't happen," she said.

Ron Savage, of Patchogue, said he rides the train four days a week and thinks the workers should get the raises they've been demanding.

"I've seen a lot of dedication, a lot of loyalty in what they do, I believe they should get what's coming to them," he said.

Earlier, at the Hicksville LIRR stop, Jawairia Rohail was busy selling coffee and lottery tickets to customers at the station's concession stand.

Farhat Qureshi, of Hicksville, said she owns the store and another at the LIRR station in Baldwin. She said whether they stay open will depend on how many people take the shuttle —

Hicksville is one of six locations on Long Island from where the MTA will operate shuttles into the city.

"We'll wait and see for a couple of days, how the response is, how the people are moving then only we'll take the decision" whether to temporarily close, she said.

Sitting in the Hicksville LIRR station with his earbuds in, Wilmy Murcy said he had not heard about the potential strike. He depends on the train to get to work in Brooklyn Bridge Park, where he works in sanitation — not work one can do from home. He shares a car with his mother, who also needs it to get to her job.

He checked his phone to see how long it would take to get a NICE bus to work. "That's going to take forever," he said, before hopping on a train to Jamaica.

Track fire in tunnels near Penn Station causing LIRR service disruptions

The FDNY is operating at a track fire in the tunnels near Penn Station that is disrupting Long Island Rail Road service across numerous branches.

Customers can expect delays, cancellations and reroutes along the Babylon, Port Washington and Ronkonkoma branches, the railroad reported on its website.

Read the story here.

'I think it's going to go down to the wire'

Shortly before noon, lead MTA negotiator Gary Dellaverson emerged from the talks, went next door to get a coffee at Starbucks, and then went back to work.

Meanwhile, a Long Island MTA Board member with a background in union negotiations said the wage increases demanded by workers are out of sync with other labor organizations are getting.

Marc Herbst, the Suffolk County representative on the MTA Board and the executive director of the Long Island Contractors Association, said he negotiates collective bargaining agreements "for a living" and that annual wage increases of about 3.5% would be "consistent" with what other trades workers are getting.

"No one with salaries in the six figures are getting 5%," said Herbst, referencing LIRR unions' demands for raises in the fourth year of a new contract.

The unions have said the 5% raise in the fourth year is needed to offset raises averaging about 3.16% in the first three years of the contract, as both sides have agreed to.

"I think it's going to go down to the wire," Herbst said Wednesday. "But, I think if level heads prevail, there should not be a strike."

The first LIRR strike in the work-from-home era?

During past strikes, there wasn’t the practice or even the technological wherewithal to let employees work from home, noted Kathy Wylde, whose tenure at the Partnership for New York City, which represents the city's biggest employers, overlapped with the LIRR strikes of 1994 and 1987.

Back then, there was no widespread Internet, let alone Zoom or Slack, so there was no real work from home.

"People weren't set up for that," said Wylde, who retired last year after 44 years at the Partnership. "Now, it’s pretty routine."

Work from home was turbocharged beginning in 2020 with the pandemic. According to a Gallup poll, 70% of jobs were exclusively remote in May of that year.

Wylde said that during strikes employers have typically allowed employees to stay home, or arranged private transportation.

But, if a strike is prolonged, she told Newsday in Times Square, employers face tough choices in deciding how to proceed with return-to-office policies.

"Then it gets complicated."

The popsicle analogy: Yellow or red?

As the rhetoric between LIRR unions and MTA manager heats up, a peculiar analogy raised by a key MTA official has cooled them down some.

At a news briefing Wednesday, MTA chief negotiator Gary Dellaverson, in explaining why the lump sum offer being made management was no different than the wage increases sought by workers, “It’s as if you said … 'I don’t want a red popsicle. I want a yellow popsicle,’ without regard to the fact that both of them are popsicles and are precisely the same,” Dellaverson said.

In a statement Thursday morning, the union referred to the popsicle analogy as an “absurdity.”

Chatting in the lobby of MTA HQs Thursday just as negotiations were getting underway, MTA Chief of Policy and External Relations John McCarthy took the analogy further.

“If you don’t pick between the popsicles, you know what happens?” McCarthy said. “They both melt.”

Union: Lump-sum payment won't work

Heading into Thursday’s critical negotiating session with MTA managers, LIRR union leaders reiterated that they have no interest in a contract settlement made up of a one-time lump-sum payment.

On Wednesday, MTA chief negotiator Gar Dellaverson said the transit authority’s latest offer would give workers the financial equivalent of the 4.5% wage increase recommended by federal mediators, half a percentage point from the unions’ demands of 5%.

But rather than coming in standard wage increases, the money would be in a lump sum payment, which MTA officials have said would be more affordable for management over the long run.

In a statement Thursday, the coalition of five unions still “rejects the one-time payment gimmick,” in part because, without a real raise, wages would default to 2025 levels when the unions return to the bargaining table for their next contract.

“If the cost is no different to MTA as Dellaverson implies, than we will gladly take the money in a straight-forward wage increase,” Kevin Sexton, national vice president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, and a coalition spokesman, said in a statement Thursday morning.

Some employers need 'boots on the ground'

Raine Mackey, 69, of Westbury, takes the LIRR three times a week into the city.

Mackey, who has commuted for more than 30 years, said she works for an investment banking firm and manages their recruiting and build outs.

If the strike occurs, she would prefer to work from home. A strike would be “inconvenient, coupled with the (upcoming FIFA) World Cup for those who are commuting to New Jersey,” said Mackey, who manages about 20 employees.

Many people commute to her office from New Jersey or Connecticut, Mackey said, and some employees don’t have the flexibility to work remotely.

“There are others, you know, such as our facilities team and our receptionist and our IT folks that really should be in the office,” she said. “We need boots on the ground.”

Mackey said she doesn’t agree with a pay increase for workers if it meant ticket prices would also rise.

Mackey said she receives a senior citizen discount and often buys a 10 pack of tickets, which still amounts to a lot, but the type of ticket depends on her workday.

“I think we pay a fair amount of money,” she said, “It’s, I think, very difficult for many people.”

Many LIRR union workers would have to work

Even if no trains are running, about half of all LIRR union workers are expected to show up to work during a strike, including conductors.

While five unions representing about half of the railroad’s organized workforce have vowed to walk off the job if a new contract isn’t settled by Saturday, the other half settled with MTA management long ago and would not be part of a work stoppage.

Anthony Simon, head of the LIRR conductors’ union, has said while his members won’t cross physical picket lines if they are set up at their work locations, they will honor their contracts.

Even if trains aren’t running, MTA managers have said they’ll find work for employees reporting for duty, including helping organize contingency plans and communicating with customers.
 

MTA: Probationary workers will be fired if they strike

The Long Island Rail Road has informed unions that probationary employees will be fired if they go on strike, according to documents obtained by Newsday.

LIRR union leaders have suggested the move, which they called a “troubling” threat, could be illegal, and an MTA board member criticized it as an escalation of tactics during negotiations.

Kelli Coughlin, the LIRR’s senior deputy chief of labor relations, in a memo to LIRR employees Tuesday, advised probationary employees that they "are required to report to work, regardless of the Union's strike," which could come as soon as Saturday, if the MTA and the unions don’t reach a contract agreement.

The memo “threatens” that the probationary employees’ failure to show up for work during a strike “may result in your termination.”

In a letter to MTA managers Wednesday, the heads of the five LIRR unions called the memo “especially troubling given the inherently vulnerable status of probationary employees and the obvious chilling effect the memorandum is intended to produce … If you are asserting a lawful basis for taking such action, please provide it to us.”

MTA spokespersons did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the letter. MTA Board Member Marc Herbst, who represent Suffolk County, said that, while MTA management “has a right to self-help, as well” during a contract impasse, any talk of firing employees would be “going nuclear.”

“I don’t think it’s healthy as part of negotiations to be talking about those types of actions at this point.”

At Mineola, concerns about widespread impacts

Mary Ellen Villalta, manager at The Chefs Corner Café, around the corner from the Mineola train station, said she supports the striking unions, but a strike would make it difficult for her workers — four of whom commute to the restaurant by LIRR.

She said she has been getting some orders from the hospital to cater for emergency workers in case they have to stay over.

“You want fair wages, but yeah, this is gonna affect us,” she said. “If it is couple days, I'll figure it out.”

Moin Haque, of Williston Park, said he depends on the LIRR and NJ transit — which also went on strike recently — to get to work in New Jersey. The systems are “critical for me, because driving is just not practical.”

Waiting for a train at Mineola, Haque said he works for a company that does research and development related to manufacturing and needs to work in person at least two to three days per week. If there's a strike, he said he'll reluctantly take his car, leaving earlier in the morning and later at night to avoid traffic.

Lawyer uses LIRR for court hopping

Personal injury lawyer Ihor Stratan, 39, of Farmingdale, said he depends on the LIRR as he travels between court houses throughout the week.

While his firm is based in Garden City, he will travel as far as the Bronx and Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and Nassau County most days of his work week.

“It’s like tremendously important to use the LIRR to commute, because it's very difficult to find parking space in the city, and it's much faster for court appearances,” he said.

If the strike does occur, Stratan said he will drive and spend money on a garage for parking.

He said eventually the negotiations have to lead to some resolution.

“It's hard to say, but it has to be some middle ground,” Stratan said.

How long would your commute be if there's a strike?

Passengers’ commutes into Manhattan during a Long Island Rail Road labor strike would be longer — in some cases, almost twice as long — according to a Newsday analysis. 

Check the chart below to see how much commutes from popular LIRR stations would be affected, and read more here.

The politics of a strike blame game

Who will the public blame if the LIRR goes on strike? One railroad labor expert believes it will be the federal lawmakers that let it happen.

Frank Wilner, a former White House-appointed chief of staff at the Surface Transportation Board and author of Understanding the Railway Labor Act, said while some disgruntled LIRR riders “may litter more” or complain on social media, they’ll ultimately have little choice but to return to the rails once the labor dispute is settled.

Union leadership, meanwhile, will have to answer, “only to its members.”

State elected officials, like Gov. Kathy Hochul, may have some political cover by pointing out that the LIRR collective bargaining process, unlike with MTA bus and subway workers, is governed by federal law, and not state law.

Wilner said they could tell the public, “Don’t blame me.”

But under the Railway Labor Act of 1926, which governs all railroad union bargaining, federal representatives could intervene to resolve a labor dispute, including by imposing contract terms.

“Where does the buck stop?” Wilner said. “With congressional representatives in a congressional election year.”

Some making alternative plans

On the LIRR this morning, announcers warned riders about the potential for an upcoming strike and to make contingency plans.

Brianna Tang, a graduate student at Stony Brook University, was catching the eastbound 7:36 a.m. train at Woodside. She said she uses the LIRR to get between school and her fiancé who lives in Queens, but if there's a strike, she’ll just stay in Stony Brook — next week is finals week.

Mike Wamser, a drama professor, said he was on his way to his last day teaching at Molloy University at Rockville Centre. He said many of his students ride the train, but at least the academic year is ending Friday. Still, he said, it may be difficult for some to make it to commencement on Monday. 

Rider: Strike would force her to stay home

Miranda Dellipizzi, 28, who lives in the Mastic-Shirley area, said she commutes on the LIRR from Ronkonkoma to downtown Manhattan three times a week.

As an underwriter for an insurance company, she said meeting with clients face to face is important for building client trust and creating their policies.

But if the strike were to occur, she would forgo commuting altogether and work from home.

“I think that our whoever works the railroad, they work crazy hours and we do have to respect them,” said Dellipizzi, who has commuted for four years. “If they're asking for a little bit more money, I don't think that's terrible if this strike does happen.”

If the LIRR were to strike, she would have to drive into downtown Manhattan, something she would find too stressful and time consuming.

“Not many people say they can love the public transit, but it's good for me, it's convenient, it's good for the environment,” she said.

Bus company ready to jump in

Long Island commuter bus company Hampton Jitney is gearing up for increased demand if the LIRR shuts down.

Vice President Andrew Lynch said Tuesday the company plans to operate about 30 round trips per day, with buses going between several stops in Eastern Suffolk and Manhattan.

“We will have all available drivers and vehicles in service and will add capacity where needed," Lynch said in a statement.

LIRR operating on or close this morning

As the strike deadline looms, the LIRR was operating on or close to schedule on all of its branches and people were going to work as usual.

The parking lot to the Ronkonkoma train station was fully packed Thursday morning, with most of the cars wet with the early morning rain.

Several commuters lined up at Track 1 waiting for the 7:26 a.m. train to Penn Station.

Hochul in Manhattan as LIRR talks resume

Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday will be a short subway ride away from the meeting that could decide whether the Long Island Rail Road shuts down Saturday.

Hochul, who has said she has been involved in the ongoing negotiations between MTA managers and LIRR labor leaders, is set to be the keynote speaker at the New York State Affordable Housing Conference being held at the Mariott Marquis Times Square Thursday morning.

Later in the morning, MTA negotiators and the heads of five LIRR unions are expected to meet at the MTA’s headquarters at 2 Broadway in Lower Manhattan, about 20 minutes away by the 2 and 3 train.

There was no word whether Hochul planned to attend the negotiations, although she has regularly shown up for MTA meetings at the agency’s offices, across the street from the Bowling Green subway station.

The last time the LIRR came this close to a work stoppage in the summer of 2014, then-Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo showed up to negotiations three days before the strike deadline and closed a deal with unions.

The last time the LIRR went on strike, the Rangers were champs and O.J. was on the run

The date was June 17, 1994.

A date so strangely oddball, curious and historic for America and for American sports that ESPN made a 30-for-30 documentary film about it titled "June 17th, 1994." The film was a chance "to look at the soul of America," said director Brett Morgan.

For Long Island commuters the date is remembered for a different reason: It marks the last time the Long Island Rail Road went on strike.  Read more here.

MTA managers, LIRR labor leaders disagree on raises

MTA managers, making their case against Long Island Rail Road unions' demands for 14.5% raises over four years, say LIRR employees threatening to strike are already the highest-paid railroad workers in the nation. But LIRR labor leaders argue both their pay and negotiating position are warranted given the high cost of living in New York and recent raises given at other railroads across the country. Read more here.

LIRR strike could cost region $70 M in daily economic activity

The Long Island Rail Road transports more than 270,000 weekday riders each day, and a strike would disrupt the local economy and create ripple effects on businesses that rely on rail access, business leaders and economists said.

Read more here.