September 8, 2025

Long Island Railroad Workers Vote on Potential Strike

News Summary

Long Island Railroad workers are casting their votes on a potential strike due to stalled contract negotiations over wage increases. The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen is seeking better pay to match rising living costs after three years without raises. With significant commuter reliance on the LIRR, a strike could disrupt transportation across New York City, prompting transit officials to prepare alternative arrangements. The unions, representing a majority of workers, have already rejected a 9.5% wage increase proposal, aiming for a resolution before critical deadlines in September.

New York – Long Island Railroad (LIRR) workers are currently engaged in voting that could lead to a potential strike over ongoing contract negotiations. The results of this vote will be submitted by 11:00 a.m. on Monday, September 15, 2025, and the strike could begin as early as September 18, 2025, directly impacting commuter service in parts of New York City.

The locomotive engineers, represented by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET), have been negotiating for increased wages, citing stagnant pay that has not risen in the last three years. The BLET emphasizes the urgency for a fair contract that allows for modest pay increases to keep up with the cost of living and inflation challenges facing their members.

If a strike occurs, transit officials have plans in place to alleviate commuter disruption by deploying buses to shuttle passengers to subway stations in Queens. Currently, over 200,000 New Yorkers rely on the LIRR each week for their daily commutes, which raises significant concerns about the impact a strike would have on the city’s transportation network.

The situation escalates as the unions representing around 55% of LIRR’s approximately 7,000 union workers have already rejected a recent contract proposal from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), which suggested a total wage increase of 9.5% over three years. This rejected offer, according to the unions, does not align with the financial success of the LIRR nor does it adequately reflect the increase in ridership that the organization has seen in recent years.

Moreover, four other unions within LIRR’s bargaining coalition, including the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the Transportation Communications Union, are also actively involved in negotiations. This situation could lead to one of the first major strikes in nearly 30 years, with the last significant work stoppage occurring in 1994. That strike lasted three days. Although a potential work stoppage in 2014 was narrowly avoided due to a last-minute settlement, current negotiations show signs that a resolution may not be easily reached this time.

Background context indicates that these negotiations began when the union groups separated from the LIRR’s largest union in 2023, aiming to secure a better deal for their members. Union leaders have rejected the MTA’s binding arbitration proposal, which initiated a cooling-off period mandated under federal labor law, commencing on August 18, 2025. If this period concludes without an agreement, both parties may appeal for intervention from the White House, potentially prolonging the process before any strike can legally occur.

In summary, the potential for a LIRR strike looms large, with critical dates approaching in September. Commuters and transit authorities are closely monitoring the situation, as a work stoppage would disrupt the daily travel of hundreds of thousands and put pressure on alternative transport measures throughout the metropolitan area.