LIRR unions, MTA must avoid strike

In just one month, five Long Island Rail Road unions could go on strike, a move that could leave commuters stranded and damage the regional economy.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority and those unions have until May 16 to avoid that disastrous scenario.

For the sake of hundreds of thousands of riders, the businesses for whom they work and the entire region, the authority and its unions must get a deal done.

The battle between the MTA and the unions representing locomotive engineers, electricians, clerks, machinists, signal workers and others comes down to a familiar power struggle over wages and work rules.

Both will have to budge.

The MTA has long depended on what’s called “pattern” bargaining — where its many unions’ labor agreements follow the same wage increases, so that one union’s negotiation applies to others. In this current negotiation that would mean three years of retroactive raises at 3% the first two years and 3.5% the third. That follows the pattern of contracts agreed to by more than half the LIRR’s 7,000 unionized workers.

In agreeing to such a contract, locomotive engineers, for example, would see $27,016 in average retroactive pay, with some payouts reaching as high as $41,335.

But the five holdout unions have demanded a fourth year, breaking the pattern. After recently lowering their bid slightly, they’re seeking a 5% raise for that year. The MTA recently agreed to a fourth year, but at a 3% raise — with the possibility of up to 4.5% if the unions agree to concessions involving lucrative work rules. Some union workers who benefit from those antiquated work rules earn up to $270,000 annually.

But that proposal is a no-go for union leaders, who say they don’t want work-rule concessions to fund wage increases.

A stalemate persists.

Let’s keep the riders in mind. They’re the ones that will have to fund the unions’ demands. Imagine a 5% fare increase to match the 5% wage increase. Alternatively, the MTA will have to go back to the State Legislature for more money. That puts taxpayers on the hook.

On the other hand, if the unions strike, no contingency plan can fully serve riders’ needs.

A middle ground has to be found, even if it requires federal mediation or involvement from Gov. Kathy Hochul to get there. A deal could start with the initial three years, saving the fourth — and the work rules debate — for a future negotiation. Or it could allow for some work rules concessions. It’s worth noting that if these unions receive anything new, other unions will want the same perks.

A strike will hurt everyone: riders, workers and the MTA. The two parties haven’t even been in the same room since March 20. Come to the table and reach a deal. For an operation that must run on time, time is ticking away.