LIRR strike in New York looms as unions push for wage increases
07.09.2025
New York LIRR strike threatens commuters. This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.
The upcoming LIRR strike in New York City is gaining strength as the unions seek higher pay after three years without a pay increase. Nearly 600 locomotive engineers already began voting on strike approval and boosted the likelihood of disruptions for 250,000 daily commuters.
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Locomotive engineers who belong to the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) last received a wage hike on April 16, 2022. The standoff on the contract since then has continued to be in mediation at the National Mediation Board since February 2024.
“We’re only looking for a fair contract — one that provides modest wage increases, or at least maintains the real wage,” explained Gil Lang, General Chairman of the BLET’s LIRR engineers. “Our members would not agree to anything less than that.”
Union coalition puts pressure on management
The BLET is negotiating jointly with the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen (BRS), the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW), the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), and the Transportation Communications Union (TCU). Together, this collective represents 55.08% of the LIRR union members.
Lang criticized the management position, noting that previous offers had been “concessionary” and would negatively affect members’ purchasing power. The union leaders again affirmed that the employees were united in asking for fair treatment.
The NMB released the coalition from mediation on August 18 that called for a 30-day cooling-off period using the Railway Labor Act. At the end of it, the Trump administration can be asked by Governor Kathy Hochul or the parties to declare a Presidential Emergency Board (PEB) and assist in averting the strike.
Contingency plans underway
If a strike occurs after September 18, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) will run shuttle buses to bring commuters to subway stations in Queens. However, officials did acknowledge that overcrowding and congestion would be inevitable.
The scale of disruption at stake is monumental. BLET engineers currently operate 947 weekday trains at the Long Island Rail Road, moving approximately 250,000 people each weekday. “This isn’t about contracts,” explained one union representative. “It’s about struggling to preserve the future of commuter rail in New York.”
Parallel strike action in London
Meanwhile, Transport for London (TfL) has been racing to prevent imminent Underground strikes. The differences are over pay and working conditions and are reminiscent of the tensions that are seen in New York and may cause the disruption of millions of daily trips in the UK capital.
Why can the LIRR strike in New York?
The threat comes after three-and-a-half years of unpaid raises. The unions say the company settlements would decrease real wages when the unions want modest hikes or at least preservation of purchasing power.
When can the LIRR strike in New York begin?
The strike can start as early as September 18, 2025. The strike authorization vote concludes at 11:00 a.m. EDT on September 15, days prior to the end of the cooling-off period.
How will commuters in New York be impacted if the LIRR strike occurs?
If the employees conduct a walkout, the MTA will run subway station shuttles using Queens shuttle buses. However, disruptions are inevitable, with widespread delays, congestion, and impacts across the citywide transit network.
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