Long Island Rail Road strike talks stall as deadline approaches; unclear when bargaining will resume
The latest round of bargaining ended Friday without an agreement, and officials have not said if a new session is scheduled. With a May 16 deadline looming, uncertainty is growing over whether a deal can be reached in time.
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Negotiations between the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and union leaders representing Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) workers have stalled, raising concerns about a possible strike that could disrupt service for thousands of daily commuters.
The latest round of bargaining ended Friday without an agreement, and officials have not said if a new session is scheduled. With a May 16 deadline looming, uncertainty is growing over whether a deal can be reached in time.
“I wouldn’t be able to get to work. It would really impact my daily life,” said Oceanside resident Ariana Cacioppo, echoing the concerns of many riders who rely on the LIRR each day.
MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber said the agency remains open to further negotiations but confirmed that no additional bargaining sessions are currently planned. “We haven’t had another bargaining session, although we would like to,” he said.
At the center of the dispute are proposed changes to union work rules. The MTA has indicated a willingness to increase wages, but only if unions agree to certain concessions. One key issue involves a rule that grants engineers an extra eight hours of pay if they operate both a diesel and an electric train during the same shift. The MTA is seeking to reduce that bonus to just one hour of additional pay.
Lieber criticized the existing rule as inefficient. “Paying people wastefully just because they drove a diesel train and an electric train on the same day outrages the public and is a waste of public resources,” he said.
However, a source close to the unions said they are unwilling to negotiate changes to work rules as part of the current contract. In a statement, Kevin Sexton, vice president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, pushed back on the MTA’s position.
“The MTA has the financial capacity to reach a fair agreement that maintains employees’ standard of living without unneeded concessions,” Sexton said.
Commuters like Chris Donohue of Rockville Centre say they are hoping both sides can come to terms before any disruption occurs. “Hopefully they come to an agreement that doesn’t affect my commute every day,” he said.
If no agreement is reached by May 16, a strike could begin.
