NEW YORK (WABC) — President Trump has signed an executive order establishing a Presidential Emergency Board to “investigate disputes” between the Long Island Rail Road and the unions.
Union leaders made the request for the emergency board during a press conference on Monday — effectively delaying any potential LIRR strike for months.
A strike of more than 3,000 workers was set for midnight on Thursday and would have impacted more than 270,000 customers.
The unions are seeking a 16% raise over a four-year-period, instead of the 9.5% on the table.
The union seemed to agree that further mediation would not result in an agreement. But as late as last week, they had not seemed willing to request White House intervention.
On Monday, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen Vice President James Louis said he believed the request by the unions was a first.
A spokesperson for the MTA released the following statement:
“After months of radio silence, these outlier unions have finally admitted that they weren’t serious about negotiating. They never had a plan to resolve this at the bargaining table,” said MTA Chief, Policy and External Relations John J. McCarthy. “If these unions wanted to put riders first, they would either settle or agree to binding arbitration. And if they don’t want to strike, they should say so – and finally show up to the negotiating table. This cynical delay serves no one.”
Gov. Kathy Hochul has blamed the potential strike on President Donald Trump, essentially saying the president was to blame for the National Mediation Board releasing the unions from mediation.
LIRR employees last went on strike in 1994. That strike lasted for two days.
ALSO READ: Gov. Hochul weighs in on potential LIRR strike, blames White House
Stacey Sager has details on the possible LIRR strike, and Gov. Hochul’s comments on Wednesday.
Copyright © 2025 WABC-TV. All Rights Reserved.
