Limited Train Service Will Resume on Tuesday at Noon
By Hank Russell
After a tumultuous weekend of work stoppages at the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), traffic jams and commuters making last-minute work arrangements, both the LIRR unions and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) have reached a tentative agreement, Governor Kathy Hochul announced.
On May 18, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET), the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen (BRS), the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW), the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), and the Transportation Communications Union (TCU) ended the strike.
As previously reported in Long Island Life & Politics, negotiations between the five LIRR unions and the MTA broke down on May 16, with the unions announcing that its 3,500 members will go on strike, starting at 12:01 a.m. This was the first LIRR strike since 1994. According to Channel 2 News, both sides agreed to a 9.5% raise over three years, but the MTA’s chief negotiator, Gary Dellaverson, offered a 4.5% lump-sum payment, which did not sit well with union leadership who called the MTA’s offer “a gimmick.”
It was also reported that the unions sought two Presidential Emergency Boards, which recommended raises between 4.5% and 5%.
According to CBS News, the National Mediation Board called on both sides to resume talks on May 17 and to continue working on a deal the next day.
On her social media page, Hochul posted, “Tonight, the @MTA reached a fair deal with the five LIRR unions that delivers raises for workers while protecting riders and taxpayers. I’m pleased to announce that phased LIRR service will resume beginning tomorrow at noon.”
During a press conference announcing the end of the strike, a union representative was asked what the agreement entailed. The representative said they “cannot discuss the specifics,” citing “the nature of the negotiations.”
Gothamist reported that, under the tentative agreement, the unions must ratify the agreement and then get approval from the MTA board
The LIRR announced that limited shuttle bus service will be provided to essential workers and those who are unable to work remotely. Buses will run to Manhattan from 4:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. and to Long Island from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. A list of bus service routes can be found here.