LIRR strike still looms after no agreement reached
No agreement has been reached to avoid a potential LIRR strike, meaning riders will have to prepare for service suspensions once the clock strikes midnight on Saturday.
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Another day of contract negotiations between the MTA and Long Island Rail Road union workers took place on Wednesday, as a possible strike is looming.
No agreement has been reached to avoid a potential LIRR strike, meaning riders will have to prepare for service suspensions once the clock strikes midnight on Saturday.
At the center of the disagreement is a pay increase for LIRR workers.
Although the MTA and the union have already agreed to the first three years of a four-year contract, the two sides remain at odds over the final year.
While a strike is the last thing people want to see, Gov. Kathy Hochul says she’s concerned about what this could end up costing the nearly 300,000 daily commuters.
“I continue to worry about affordability for Long Islanders,” said Hochul. “I'm not willing to ask Long Islanders to pay unnecessary fare hikes or higher taxes. I worked hard to put the MTA on stable footing, and I will not risk that stability.”
The union is pushing for a 5% pay increase. Meanwhile, the MTA has offered up to 4.5%, with some concessions on work rules.
Several commuters in Brooklyn had no idea about the potential strike and possible disruption to their travels. Even inside stations, there are no signs indicating what could be ahead if an agreement is not reached before Saturday.
