Unions hidden LIRR-strike scheme aims to pick everyones pockets

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. These ancient contract provisions are why LIRR still must print paper paychecks in the year 2026 — and a major reason why more than 300 agency workers got six-figure overtime payments last year, on top of their base pay. New York’s Taylor Law, which governs most public-sector employees, forbids them from legally calling a strike. But owing to the LIRR’s historical quirks (it was once privately run and hauled freight), its employees are covered by the federal Railway Labor Act — and Congress has been slow to update the statute.  So some taxpayer-funded transit operations still face work stoppages, as New Jersey Transit did a year ago. That gives these unions unique leverage — from which the MTA’s other unions now look to benefit, thanks to the notion of “pattern bargaining.” Before the strike began, the LIRR and the unions had agreed to three years’ worth of raises.But talks broke down because the unions wanted a bigger raise in the fourth year than the 3% offered by the LIRR. That’s on top of the agreed-upon 9.8% raises (with back pay) and $3,000 lump-sum payments. The LIRR was open to even bigger lump sums, if only the unions would agree to money-saving work rules. But the union ...