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The Long Island Rail Road strike that began early Saturday continues upending commutes from Manhattan to Suffolk County.
Unbeknownst to most riders, they’re collateral damage in a much bigger but less visible fight that could slam the entire MTA region with both higher fares and heavier taxes.
Negotiations over the LIRR’s union contracts, which came up for renewal in 2023, have been dragging on for three years.
The slow pace of the talks means they now must cover a fourth year, potentially affecting the MTA’s other union contracts as those talks open up.
On top of offering raises, LIRR management has pressed unsuccessfully to reform the railroad’s rigid and inefficient work rules.
Continue reading the entire piece here at the New York Post
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Ken Girardin is a fellow at the Manhattan Institute. John Ketcham is a legal policy fellow and director of Cities at the Manhattan Institute.