LIRR strike halts largest commuter railroad in the U.S.

Bulletin May 19: Strong picket lines and solidarity among LIRR workers enabled their unions to push the MTA for the best contract possible after three-and-a-half years with no raises. On May 18, a tentative contract was announced, on which the workers will vote. This ended the three-day walkout. According to media reports, the four-year contract includes wage increases, retroactive pay, a $3,000 lump sum payment, and more –– all with no increase in taxes or fares for riders. (NY1, May 19)

May 17 –– Some 3,500 Long Island Railroad workers in several unions went out on strike on May 16 at 12:01 a.m. after enduring three-and-a-half years with no pay increase during fruitless contract talks. Their midnight walkout, the first in 32 years, shut down the largest commuter railroad in the U.S., on which workers move up to 300,000 commuters daily. 

Picket lines sprang up at New York City’s Penn Station and more than 20 other locations in the city and on Long Island. Chants of “Who’s got the power? We’ve got the power!” sent a strong message to the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) bosses.

MTA management was left scrambling to set up limited bus-to-subway service for the May 18 rush hour, which at best can only move about 13,000 commuters each way at a cost of up to $550,000 daily. (Gothamist, May 16) Meanwhile, New York City’s capitalist class could face an estimated $61 million in lost economic activity for every day of the strike, according to New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. (osc.ny.gov, May 15)

At stake in the strike is the same affordability crisis facing the entire multinational working class. Costs for food, housing, healthcare, utilities, fuel and so much more are rising exponentially, and wages are not keeping up. One picket sign said it all: “3% raise in their economy? Hell no!” and LIRR workers outside Penn Station backed it up.

“This is serious work we do, transporting so many people safely,” a young Caribbean train operator, who still lives in his parents’ home, told Workers World. “Even if we get 5% in the last year of the contract, that will barely keep up with inflation.”

A young African American woman, also a train operator, said there are more women and people of color coming up through the ranks now. “There was a big learning curve. It took a lot to get here, and my costs are up,” she said, as passing vehicles honked in solidarity with strikers.

MTA bosses pulled out their usual playbook to blame the workers for the strike, claiming they were “nearly there” in contract talks when the workers walked out over the pay increase for the last contract year. The bosses are threatening to raise fares if the strike goes forward.

What they failed to mention is how crucial the last 5% raise is to future wage negotiations, particularly as prices keep rising. Also, MTA management tried to sneak in changes to healthcare benefits at the last minute, proposing that new LIRR workers pay a higher portion of healthcare costs than current workers. (Gothamist, May 16)

That’s when the unions drew the line.

“On Friday [May 15], I thought we were finally getting closer. The MTA was finally starting to move, we were willing to move, we told them that,” said James Louis, national vice president of the Locomotive Engineers union. “And then at the last minute, at the 11th hour, putting health and welfare changes on the table, something that was never discussed during all the three years … that’s what got us to say we could not accept that contract.” (NY1, May 17)