Railroad strike prevents 300,000 riders from getting to work. Union wants 4 years of wage increases at double the inflation rate.

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Photo above – "Tag, you're it". NYC commuter train with colorful graffiti. The LIRR is now on strike, so 300,000 daily commuters will be deprived of the fine arts . . .

You might think that taking the Long Island Railroad to work is pricey. And it is – $13 each way. But during the railroad strike that started yesterday, displaced riders may pay $4-$10 an hour for downtown parking PLUS a $9 daily admission fee (toll) just to enter any part of NYC below 60th street (see link below). This toll is to encourage the use of public transportation, which is now on strike.

300,000 daily commuters will be impacted by the strike. Heaven help NYC if they all attempt to take buses, Ubers, or drive their own cars to work. This is probably what’s behind the LIRR union demand for “double the inflation rate” pay increases. Salary.com says LIRR timecard workers already get $49 an hour. Which, if true, is $100,000 a year, making them higher paid than most teachers and police. But then again if teachers and police go on strike, you can still show up at work and collect your paycheck.

NY Governor Hochul says she “stands with the riders" but what does that even mean?. Mayor Mamdani warned train commuters to expect heavier traffic and crowded buses, which seems to fall short of standing with the riders. But then again, most of the riders are vote and live OUTSIDE the city, and most of the LIRR workers probably DO live and vote in the city. Can't we all just get along?

I doubt if telling 300,000 commuters to hit the bricks will trigger a rift between the Governor and the Mayor. Mamdani has other problems which demand his attention – like the $12 billion dollar budget deficit this year and the next. Apparently even all the new “billionaires taxes” taxes he’s throwing against the wall can’t fix this massive problem (He blames his predecessor, Mayor Adams). And if companies and workers continue to migrate to places without railroad strikes, bus strikes, and no outlandish downtown tolls and parking fees, that $12 billion NYC budget gap is going to get harder to close.

I took a quick look, and Governor Hochul (state capital in Albany) is not sitting on a $12 billion raining day fund to bail out NYC. In fact, the state has its own $35 billion budget gap. Since the entire state budget is $250 billion, this is a 15% overspending problem beyond even Mamdani’s NYC crisis.

Who knows how this will play out? NY CEOs have been insisting that Covid 19 WFH people finally show up at the office. but with mixed success. One thing is clear – the entire state can’t keep demanding tax and budget and pay hikes at double or triple the inflation rate.

I’m just sayin’ . . .

LIRR unions go on strike, service halted indefinitely – NBC New York

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