New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) again pinned an ongoing Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) strike on the Trump administration, continuing a days-long feud between Albany and Washington over the strike.
“Let me be clear, this strike would not have been possible if the Trump administration had not taken the highly unusual step last fall of releasing labor unions from mediation. Unfortunately, for our commuters, the direct consequence of this action is the strike we have today,” Hochul said at a Sunday press conference.
“Now, New York, everyone knows, is a prolabor state. We believe in working men and women receiving a fair wage and benefits, but the [Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)] cannot agree to a contract that would raise fares as much as 8 percent and risk hiking taxes for Long Islanders,” she added.
Over the weekend, President Trump clapped back at Hochul after she blamed his administration for the strike.
“Failed New York State Governor Kathy Hochul, a Dumacrat, just blamed ME for her Long Island Railroad STRIKE, when she knows, full well, that I have NOTHING TO DO WITH IT – never even heard about it until this morning,” Trump said Saturday on Truth Social.
On Saturday, thousands of LIRR workers went on strike after negotiations on a new wage agreement faltered, marking their first strike in more than 30 years. Five unions are heading up the strike, calling for a wage increase of 5 percent for LIRR employees.
The MTA has proposed a 3 percent wage increase, with concerns that additional increases could affect city and state budgets and increase fare rates for passengers.
In a Saturday statement, Hochul went after the Trump administration for the negotiations falling apart.
“The disruption that Long Islanders face starting tonight is the direct result of reckless actions by the Trump Administration to cut mediation short and push these negotiations toward a strike,” the governor said.
Two unions involved in the strike, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers and the Transportation Communications Union, advised Hochul in a Sunday statement that the strike “should not be politicized.”
When reached for comment, White House spokesperson Kush Desai said that “the current strike and shutdown of the LIRR are entirely the fault of Kathy Hochul and her inability to accept a recommended solution for the parties to reach an agreement.”
