LIRR Strike News, Map & Alternative Travel: Long Island Rail Road Workers Threaten to Strike
From the looks of it, a Long Island Rail Road strike may be inevitable.
Unions representing LIRR workers attempted to meet with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Monday, however the contract negotiations imploded after just 45 minutes into the meeting.
The MTA accused LIRR unions of being stubborn and unwilling to negotiate while unions say that their more than 5,000 workers are prepared to walk off their jobs this Sunday at 12:01 a.m.
"I regret to report that negotiations have collapsed with the MTA and all eight unions are now proceeding with strike plans for July 20," union spokesman Anthony Simon said, reports the New York Daily News.
"We've moved three times," said MTA chairman Thomas Prendergast, according to Newsday. "In the spirit of negotiations, it's give and take. We've done giving. They've done taking. But they haven't moved at all ... from their position. Until they're ready to move, there's no reason to have negotiations."
"The MTA recently expanded its previous offer to union leaders, granting current LIRR workers everything that they've asked for, including raises of 17%," reads the MTA website. "Yet the union continues to threaten to strike."
Because both sides are miles away from reaching a deal, a strike would force over 300,000 daily commuters to find an alternative route when traveling from Long Island to Queens, Brooklyn or Manhattan.
Union officials called on New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to intervene, however there is no word on whether the governor will actually help moderate an agreement.
If the looming strike does come into fruition, LIRR commuters will have to find alternate routes to get to Manhattan, either via the subway and/or bus.
The MTA is encouraging commuters who choose to drive to carpool and requiring vehicles on the Long Island Expressway (LIE) to carry three people (including the driver) in order to drive in the HOV lane. Nonetheless, the MTA warns that highways that connect Long Island residents to Queens and Manhattan, like the LIE and the Northern State Parkway which turns into the Grand Central, will suffer from major traffic jams.
The MTA also announced that it will provide travelers with bus service from eight different locations in Nassau and Suffolk Counties that will carry around 15,000 passengers each day to subway stations in Queens during peak periods.
There will also be a free ferry service from Glen Cove to East 34th Street.
Citi Field will open up its parking lots to allow travelers to park their cars and then get on the No. 7 train or walk to the A train.
The other option is to simply stay home and/or telecommute, if optional.
Check out the LIRR's contingency plan for more information.
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