Posts tagged Long Island
Reason: Union Summer
May 21, 2026 // They're at it again: Yesterday, the unions representing the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) workers reached an agreement with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the state agency that runs the railroad. It's not yet clear what's in the agreement, but the demands of the striking workers were rather extraordinary: Pay raises of 5 percent, plus three years of retroactive raises since their last contract was hammered out in 2022. This might make sense if they were destitute, but they are not: "More than 325 Long Island Rail Road workers are raking in over $100,000 a year in overtime on top of their lucrative salaries, with 11 of them netting at least twice that huge figure in OT," reports New York Post (below yesterday's perfect headline: "Gravy Train").
New Yorkers bracing for commuter chaos as LIRR workers remain on strike
May 17, 2026 // MTA Chairman Janno Lieber told reporters Sunday that the MTA refuses to make a deal that forces riders and taxpayers to fund wage increases for workers who, he contended, are already the highest-paid railroad employees in the nation. Nearly 300,000 daily commuters are affected by the strike, according to the MTA.
MTA chairman: Workers would be ‘crazy’ to walk off job as LIRR strike threat looms
May 11, 2026 // "It's time for everybody to get serious about the fact that if you go on strike for one day, you are literally flushing money down the toilet for your workers," Lieber said. Five unions, representing 3,500 workers, are threatening to strike beginning on May 16. "If there is a work stoppage, there is going to be a complete and total shutdown of operations," O'Connor said.
Long Island Rail Road Strike Looms, as M.T.A. and Unions Reach Impasse
April 13, 2026 // Five unions representing more than 3,500 workers have threatened for months to walk off the job unless they receive bigger raises than other divisions of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the state agency that runs the railroad. The unions, which represent engineers, machinists, signalmen and other jobs critical to the rail operation, are seeking a retroactive 9.5 percent wage increase covering the last three years — the same offered to many other New York transit and civil servant unions. But they also want an additional 5 percent raise starting in 2026. The M.T.A. has argued that such a divergence in pay would upset the typical pattern for wage increases established with other groups, and would not be feasible unless the unions compromised on other aspects of the contract.
NY teachers’ union sues to block 3 Long Island charter schools, claiming ‘abuse of authority’
February 2, 2026 // Person said the suit highlights the dysfunction created by New York’s dual charter authorizing system. Under state law, charter school applicants can get approved by SUNY’s Charter School Institute, even if state Education Department officials object. SUNY charter school regulators said Academy filed solid proposals for the three schools — and dismissed the union’s lawsuit as nonsense. “I don’t really understand it,” Joseph Belluck, chairman of the SUNY charter school committee, said of the NYSUT complaint.
More than 21,000 nurses authorize strike at NYC, LI hospitals
December 30, 2025 // The bargaining committees are allowed to call a strike if contracts at the 15 facilities aren’t settled by Wednesday, December 31. Northwell Health claims they can’t afford to meet nurses’ salary demands, despite acquiring Nuvance Health this year. Reports show Northwell increased patient prices after each of its 21 acquisitions.
As an LIRR Strike Looms, the Empire Center Publishes the Disputed Contracts
September 14, 2025 // According to figures provided by the MTA, the engineers’ current average wage of $49.92 per hour is 7 percent higher than the industry norm. With overtime, LIRR engineers collected an average of more than $160,000 in 2025. The agency said negotiations have stalled because the unions are demanding 16 percent in pay raises over the next three years, which is 6.5 points more than what other MTA bargaining units previously agreed to.
Long Island Railroad Unionized Employees Are Ready to Strike on September 18
September 9, 2025 // Five unions could participate in the strike, representing about half of LIRR’s 7,000 employees. Two groups – the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers – began voting this week to organize the protest, while two others – the Transportation Communications Union and the International Association of Machinists – had already decided to do so a month ago. It is unclear whether the fifth and final union, the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen, will join the initiative. A month ago, the unions rejected an offer of a 9.5% pay increase over three years, which had been agreed upon by some LIRR and MTA employees.
Long Island Healthcare Employee Charges Union Officials With Illicit Attempt to Prevent Workers from Voting Union Out
November 15, 2024 // Brief: 1199SEIU officials engaged in backchannel communications with federal labor board to block vote; same union is facing ouster effort by NJ workers as well
Ex-Daniel Arsham Studio Employee Alleges They Were Fired for Union Activities
July 22, 2024 // Meghan Clohessy, Arsham’s studio director for nearly a decade, insists that the fired employee was let go for violating studio policies, showing up to work late, smoking indoors, and “altercations” with other staff members. “All of this is well documented, both prior and unrelated to the unionization matter,” she said.