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Victory In Long Island

I am pleased to report that SMART (International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers) members at the Long Island Rail Road, along with their brothers and sisters at allied Unions, have finally attained a hard earned and fair contract that will avo [...]

LIRR unions, MTA end another day of talks

NEW YORK – With a Long Island Rail Road strike potentially set to start Sunday, the unions and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority returned to the bargaining table Wednesday and talked for several hours without reaching a deal. But both sides were set to work through th [...]

Unions’ Open Letter To The Riders of the Long Island Rail Road

We deeply regret that MTA’s irresponsible actions will cause a strike beginning this weekend. The unions representing Long Island workers have done all in our power to reach a reasonable settlement in four years of bargaining. We have accepted the compromise recommendations o [...]

Long Island Labor Movement Comes Out In Strong Support of LIRR Unions

Below is the text of a letter released by the Long Island Federation of Labor: The Long Island Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, fully supports the Long Island Railroad unions in their efforts to negotiate a contract with the MTA. It is essential to all of us that negotiations re [...]

Blumenthal wants to convene Senate PTC hearing

WASHINGTON – A group of Connecticut lawmakers is calling for action on rail-safety technology that could prevent future train collisions like the fatal “deadman’s curve” crash late last year in the Bronx. The Positive Train Control technology, or PTC would o [...]

LIRR union coalition forced to set strike time

International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers Long Island Rail Road General Chairperson Anthony Simon has issued the following statement on the deteriorating labor situation at the commuter railroad: “I regret to report that negotiations have [...]

Older rail tank cars may be phased out

The oil industry and the railroads that haul its crude have offered U.S. regulators a joint plan to phase out a type of older tank car tied to a spate of fiery accidents, according to two people familiar with the proposal. The plan also calls for slightly thicker walls for ne [...]

Local 1701, city at odds over pension pay

MONTEBELLO, Calif. – The city and its transit union are at odds over who pays for the employees’ share of pension costs. During the last year the city has paid its nontransit employees’ share of their pension costs but not for bus drivers, mechanics and service operators. The [...]