LIRR strike paralyzes regional transit systems

For over three days, five unions representing over 3,500 workers at the Long Island Rail Road went on strike for the first time in 32 years over issues including wages and benefits after negotiations with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority fell apart late last Friday evening.

The unions had been working with the MTA for years on negotiating employee contracts, but the strike came after the MTA sought pay increases of closer to 3 percent for the final year of contracts. While talks between the unions and LIRR/MTA continued until the final hour, additional concerns, such as increased health care premiums that would affect new hires, heightened tension.

Ultimately, after three and a half days, the unions ended the strike after reaching a deal that included the first pay increases in about 4 years.

“This contract will ensure that 3,500 Long Island Rail Road employees will be paid fairly for their labor,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said at a press conference. “I want them to know this, I deeply value and respect the hard work they do. They’re out there every single day making sure the job gets done. Their work is critical for the entire region, and they deserve a fair wage.”

Hochul added that taxes and fares will not increase with this deal.

The roughly 250,000 daily LIRR riders were forced to take alternative modes of transportation heading towards New York City, including free shuttle buses on Monday from stations like Ronkonkoma or costly ride-sharing trips. Others decided to work from home or take vacation days to avoid the situation altogether.

“I want to apologize to my neighbors, my colleagues, the people that utilize our service, because this is the last thing we want,” said Mike Colucci, a locomotive engineer and engine service coordinator who picketed alongside hundreds of union members outside Ronkonkoma Station throughout the strike. “We feel this pain because we’re losing money being out here. But we’re staying united… to raise the standard of living, not [just] for us, but for the next generation.”

Some union members, like Annette Luckette of Yaphank, marched not just for wages but also to advocate for better working conditions. Luckette, who has worked on the LIRR’s administrative side for almost 20 years, said she’s been taking on heavier workloads and tasks originally assigned to separate employees.

“They need to give us a fair share,” Luckette said. “We work hard, [and] they minimize how much work we get… The jobs we do now used to be like two or three people would do the same [thing].”

The strike’s first two days left Long Islanders and New York City residents spending the day or weekend in either location, with over half-hour traffic delays and pricey ride-sharing rates.

At the Sayville LIRR Station, shuttle buses that usually transport passengers to the Sayville Ferry Service sat untouched over the weekend. A pre-recorded announcement informed would-be riders at the empty station that “Long Island Rail Road service is suspended because of the strike.”

Around the corner at the Sayville Ferry Service, weekend visitors stepped off their boats and into Ubers and Lyfts heading to Brooklyn and Manhattan, which cost between $160 and $190 per car, before tip, on late Sunday afternoon.

Kamryn Hasan, an Uber driver from Queens, spent his Sunday driving Fire Islanders to and from JFK Airport, managing to arrive at the ferry terminal on time despite getting lost in the unfamiliar suburbs. While he sometimes transports passengers outside the five boroughs, Hasan said he had never seen a situation like this before.

Despite the transit frustration, some weekend LIRR riders weren’t too upset to trade a more costly Uber ride for a quicker trip. For Allen Rogers of Manhattan, a drive from Sayville to Penn Station on late Sunday took an hour and a half, roughly the same as the LIRR ride, and without the shuttle bus transfer.

On Monday, highways heading to New York City were jammed, with near-constant stop-and-go traffic starting in Old Westbury through Manhattan, according to traffic data. The LIRR provided free shuttle buses at stations like Ronkonkoma, dropping passengers off at connecting subway stations, such as Jamaica. At Ronkonkoma, though, relatively few passengers rode aboard.

Service resumed as normal on Tuesday afternoon. The Long Island Rail Road will soon release refund plans for monthly ticket holders for Monday’s shutdown.