NEW YORK (WABC) — LIRR union staff rallied on the Massapequa LIRR Station on Saturday forward of extra contract negotiation talks with the MTA in Jamaica.
“We’re happy that administration is coming to the desk. There was no sense of urgency. Till this week’s contract talks, apart from one assembly on March 20, there hadn’t been negotiations since August of 2025, regardless of the labor coalition’s requests,” union management mentioned.
The union representing LIRR staff is pushing for greater pay, however MTA leaders warn that agreeing to these calls for may set off important fare hikes.
The MTA says if a strike occurs, it’ll roll out a contingency plan that features shuttle buses to assist transfer riders.
5 unions representing 3,500 staff, together with engineers, signalmen and trainmen, are threatening to strike on Could 16.
The unions and LIRR have agreed to a retroactive 9.5% wage improve masking the final three years. However the sticking level stays an extra 5% increase the employees need, efficient this yr.
The MTA says that is too excessive. The MTA has additionally pushed again on a number of the profitable penalty pay staff obtain for sure jobs throughout a shift.
MTA officers say if they offer LIRR staff what they’re asking for, it may lead to a fare hike as excessive as 8%.
Greater than 1 / 4 million individuals journey the LIRR every day, and if there’s a strike, the MTA would run free shuttle bus service from a restricted variety of LIRR stations: Lakeview, Hicksville, Ronkonkoma, Mineola, and Huntington bringing riders to a subway station.
For riders, the primary strike in many years can be daunting, however most say they’d navigate by means of it.
White Home-appointed mediators say there isn’t any indication that the MTA can not afford the proposed will increase.
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