LIRR strike begins, negotiations not reached before midnight
LIRR strike closing in: Negotiation update, commuter check-in
FOX 5 NY's Linda Schmidt and Jodi Goldberg have the latest on the looming LIRR strike.
LONG ISLAND - The LIRR strike has officially gone through now that the midnight deadline has been passed.
LIRR strike deadline passes
What we know:
LIRR President Robert Free announced during an earlier press conference that all trains will arrive at their final destination tonight regardless of a work stoppage.
FULL: LIRR, MTA talk strike contingency plans for commuters
LIRR President Robert Free and MTA chief customer service officer Shanifah Rieara discuss contingency plans in case of a potential strike.
"We don't want any passengers getting stranded on our trains."
The LIRR posted a list of the aforementioned trains on its website:
- 8:50 p.m. eastbound (Jamaica to Montauk)
- 9:26 p.m. westbound (Port Jefferson to Huntington, with connection to Penn Station)
- 10:03 p.m. westbound (Montauk to Jamaica)
- 10:20 p.m. eastbound (Penn Station to Huntington, with connection to Port Jefferson)
- 10:53 p.m. westbound (Long Beach to Penn Station)
- 10:53 p.m. eastbound (Jamaica to Speonk)
- 10:55 p.m. westbound (Long Beach to Penn Station)
- 11:14 p.m. westbound (Far Rockaway to Grand Central)
- 11:18 p.m. eastbound (Jamaica to West Hempstead)
- 11:28 p.m. westbound (Port Jefferson to Huntington, no connection to Huntington)
- 11:30 p.m. eastbound (Grand Central to Far Rockaway)
- 11:30 p.m. westbound (Patchogue to Jamaica)
- 11:30 p.m. westbound (Oyster Bay to Jamaica)
- 11:31 p.m. (Atlantic Terminal to Jamaica)
- 11:36 p.m. westbound (Port Washington to Penn Station)
- 11:37 p.m. eastbound (Penn Station to Ronkonkoma)
- 11:39 p.m. (Jamaica to Atlantic Terminal)
- 11:43 p.m. eastbound (Jamaica to Oyster Bay)
- 11:45 p.m. westbound (Babylon to Penn Station)
- 11:45 p.m. (Penn Station to Port Washington)
- 11:48 p.m. eastbound (Penn Station to Huntington, no connection to Port Jefferson)
- 11:51 p.m. eastbound (Penn Station to Babylon)
- 11:52 p.m. westbound (Huntington to Penn Station)
- 11:54 p.m. eastbound (Grand Central to Hempstead)
- 11:54 p.m. westbound (Ronkonkoma to Penn Station)
- 11:57 p.m. eastbound (Penn Station to Long Beach)
- 11:58pm westbound (West Hempstead to Jamaica)
By the numbers:
The main sticking point remains pay. Five LIRR unions want a 5% increase in the fourth year of the contract proposal, citing the high cost of living.
The MTA is offering a 3% increase, along with additional lump sum payments to bring the actual total up to 4.5%. MTA negotiators say offering more money could force the agency to raise fares by as much as 8% next year, or make service cuts.
LIRR strike contingency plan
Local perspective:
The MTA plans to run limited shuttle bus service during peak hours.
Difference in salary increase behind potential LIRR strike
The LIRR strike is still on the near horizon. FOX 5 NY's Linda Schmidt breaks it down.
If a strike happens, there will be shuttles departing from and returning from six LIRR stations, including Bayshore, Hicksville, Mineola, Hempstead Lake State Park near Lakeview Station, Huntington and Ronkonkoma.
Commuters will get dropped off either in Jamaica or the Howard Beach JFK Airport stop, and from there they will have to take a subway into Manhattan.
Is the LIRR going on strike?
Why you should care:
For commuters who rely on the LIRR, a strike could mean longer travel times, added costs and fewer options. One commuter said a shuttle trip could take hours compared with a typical train ride. Another commuter said driving would also be more expensive because of gas, tolls, congestion pricing and parking.
The backstory:
The last time there was a Long Island Rail Road strike was in June 1994. It lasted 2 days.
The Source: This article includes information provided by the MTA and previous FOX 5 NY reporting.