Senator Martins: Governor Must Step in to Help Prevent Lirr Strike

     Senator Jack M. Martins (R-Mineola), together with Senator Carl Marcellino (R-Syosset) and Senator Kemp Hannon (R-Garden City) today called on Governor Andrew Cuomo to intervene and help resolve the contract dispute between the MTA and LIRR workers to prevent a devastating LIRR strike. Federal law will allow the LIRR workers, who have been without a contract since 2010, to legally walk off the job as early as July 20th. 

     "Over 300,000 Long Island commuters and their families deserve answers. With the MTA and the unions unable to come to terms and a strike looming right around the corner, commuters will be stranded with devastating consequences to residents, workers, and New York's economy. The Governor, as the state's Chief Executive, needs to do everything he can to bring both parties together to resolve their differences at a negotiating table in good faith, not on a picket line. He's done it before, and must do it again for North America's busiest commuter railroad, before there's a crippling labor strike that will throw Long Island into chaos. We Long Islanders deserve nothing less," said Senator Martins. 

     In April, Governor Cuomo demonstrated leadership in bringing the sides together to resolve the 27 month contract dispute between the MTA and the Transit Workers Union. Long Island needs him to step in, broker a settlement and avert an imminent strike.

     The LIRR serves 124 stations in Nassau, Suffolk, Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan, providing service for over 80 million customers each year. Every weekday approximately 301,000 commuters ride the 735 daily trains.

     “With a strike looming in less than 3 weeks, it’s crunch time. The window to resolve this without a labor strike is closing rapidly. Long Islanders need the Governor to engage now,” Senator Martins added.