LIRR Unions Say They're ‘Disgusted’ Over Service Cuts

LONG ISLAND, NY — The Long Island Rail Road’s unions urged management to restore train service after a tumultuous Monday morning commute that saw many riders standing in the aisles in close quarters, raising concerns about the coronavirus among riders and staff.

In a letter to Metropolitan Transit Authority Chairman Pat Foye and LIRR President Phil Eng, nine union leaders stood with about 3,000 members in saying that they are tired of “taking a backseat to the misguided priorities of the MTA." The letter went on to say that the workers are “outraged” by the reduced service, as it comes at a time “when opening the economy, continued distancing, incentivizing customers to return and prioritizing the use of federal dollars is crucial to a full and safe recovery.”

The workers said they were “disgusted” with the cuts and “insensitivity” to the “quality-of-life of frontline workers which has destroyed morale and trust in the agency. We demand you listen to your heroes and restore service for the betterment of our system,” the letter states.

The letter goes on to say that the MTA’s outsourcing, and disregard for its workers who have delivered during the pandemic, are “inexcusable.”

The letter was backed up by workers from the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen; the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen; the Sheet Metal Air Rail Transportation Union; Transportation Communications Union; International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers; National Conference of Firemen & Oilers, SEUI 32BJ; and the Independent Railway Supervisors Association.

BLET General Chairperson Kevin Sexton said there is a concern about employees contracting the coronavirus and questioned why the agency would instill service cuts while there is a pandemic and social distancing is still being advised by health officials, because it “flies in the face of logic.”

“It puts people in a compromised position,” said Sexton, a Suffolk county resident.

Eng said LIRR workers have been “invaluable partners” who did tremendous, critical work performing an essential service throughout the pandemic. He went on to say that he understands their concerns and the agency is taking those into consideration, because if it doesn’t support “our workforce, we can’t ask more of them without making sure that we address their needs.”

Sexton said that a co-worker recently died from COVID-19, and while it can’t be known where the person contracted the virus, employee health is still a concern. He said workers in the field are continuing to report back to him and will keep him informed of any unsafe conditions or other concerns.

Eng said the agency has worked with its labor unions, staying up to date on the latest health protocols, and continues to take precautions. “We have relied on them to make sure that we have good communication and feedback from their members and our workers,” he said.

“We know that you can work and ride the train safely,” he said. “That is why we put very aggressive measures in place, making sure that the employees have not only the proper information, but the proper PPE, ensuring that they have facial coverings themselves, that they have hand sanitizer themselves, and that we are doing everything we need to support them while we support the riders.”

Those measures go hand in hand with daily cleaning of the trains, as well as making available the Train Time app that riders can use to check train capacity, he said.

“We are committed to providing the best customer service that can,” he said. “All of the feedback that we have received to date, we appreciate, and we are taking into consideration. We’ve already made some changes, and we are looking to make some more.”

Commuters blasted the LIRR on social media by posting photos of crowded trains traveling to Manhattan. Eng later described the crowding as “sporadic and isolated,” with some instances that could have been avoided by passengers checking train car capacity with the Train Time app and simply walking to another car.

The LIRR later added 10 additional trains to address riders’ complaints of crowding.

U.S. Rep. Thomas Suozzi (D-Long Island, Queens) called the images seen throughout social media “deeply disturbing,” and aired several concerns in a letter that he sent to Eng, including the images.

“Fewer trains mean more commuters per train, and I’ve seen deeply disturbing pictures this morning of overpacked cars with barely any standing room. COVID-19 remains a serious threat and the LIRR must continue to take every precaution to stop the spread of the virus, including social distancing,” he wrote. “This is the wrong time to foster overcrowding.”

He went on to say that “consistent and reliable service schedules are critical for the health of the state and local economy,” particularly for essential workers at risk every day.

Suozzi noted that he and his colleagues in Congress supported federal aid for the MTA/LIRR to prevent “drastic service cuts like the one implemented this week,” by securing $8 billion in aid in the CARES Act, a well as a December spending package, and will likely sign off on another relief package with $6.5 billion in MTA relief.

“It is the LIRR’s responsibility to balance coronavirus public safety, increased demand, and financial security,” he said, adding, “Please reexamine your service cuts immediately.”

Eng called Suozzi’s feedback invaluable and said the agency would consider his comments while it continued to review train service and make adjustments.