Riders brace for possibility of travel delays as negotiations between MTA and LIRR union continue
Local 100 leadership and MTA management met Friday morning but as of Friday afternoon no agreement has been reached.
The clock is ticking until the 12:01 a.m. deadline for an LIRR strike, and riders at the Atlantic Terminal in Brooklyn are bracing for major travel suspensions ahead of their weekend plans.
The main issue remains about Year 4 of the contract.
News 12 previously reported that the MTA is offering a 3% raise, while union leaders continue to push for at least 4.5%, as recommended by the Presidential Emergency Board.
Commuters like Giovanni Pearla say a strike would impact travel plans.
“I just need it to not happen. I need to be able to get to the office on Monday," said Pearla.
Carl Sumner, an employee with the Long Island Rail Road, says that while a strike may be inconvenient, it might be a necessary evil.
“I see both sides, but by the same token, since I work for them, I have to take the side of the people who work on the railroad. Those chaps work really hard and it’s only fair that they should get what’s coming to them," said Sumner.
Local 100 leadership and MTA management met Friday morning, but as of Friday evening, no agreement has been reached.
In the event of a strike, the MTA is discouraging non-essential travel. However, it will be offering a limited-time bus shuttle service on weekdays. For more information on those schedules, you can click here.
