Long Island Rail Road workers remained on strike on Sunday, one day after train strikes began over pay and work rules. The walkout involved around 3,500 union workers on North America’s busiest rail line.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority said there was no substitute for the railroad and urged commuters to work remotely if possible. It also warned of severe congestion and delays as the strike entered its second day.
Gil Lang and Janno Lieber
Gil Lang, the general chairman of the LIRR General Committee at the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, said the MTA left workers no choice but to strike. “To every LIRR passenger whose trip is disrupted, know that the MTA left us no choice but to strike,” he said, adding: “After three years without raises, we cannot make any more compromises to cover for the MTA's mismanagement,”
MTA chair and CEO Janno Lieber said the agency could not responsibly make a deal that implodes the MTA’s budget. The two sides failed to reach an agreement over pay and work rules before the walkout began on Saturday.
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr
The strike was the first on the LIRR in over 30 years. The last stoppage before this one was a two-day strike in 1994.
Queens borough president Donovan Richards Jr. said the city was not fully prepared for the scale of disruption the shutdown could cause. “For working-class people, you can't just say stay home. All of us are not Wall Street bankers,” he told's local affiliate on Sunday. “We need to be able to ensure that working-class people can make it into the city.”
Monday Commute Pressure
No formal talks between union leaders and management were scheduled for Sunday, leaving commuters to face the possibility of continued disruption into Monday morning. Limited shuttle services were being provided for stranded passengers, while the New York Mets warned fans attending weekend games at Citi Field in Queens to expect transport difficulties.
Ramses Brye, a Queens resident, discovered the strike while travelling to an overnight shift. A commuter from Long Island said his usual trip into Manhattan became significantly longer on Saturday and required two buses from Port Washington.
