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Eight separate unions representing Amtrak workers are threatening to go on strike as early as January 30th if they are not presented with new contracts, which they've worked without for years. A strike would hurt more than people taking the Acela between Washington D.C. and Boston. If Amtrak workers strike, it would close Penn Station and hundreds off thousands of daily commuters on the Long Island Rail Road, NJ Transit, and Amtrak would be seriously inconvenienced.
NJ Transit riders would probably be forced to disembark at Hoboken and crowd onto the already packed PATH system into Manhattan. LIRR commuters would be let off at Brooklyn, Jamaica Station, and Woodside, where they could take the subway into Manhattan. The prospect of an additional few hundred thousand commuters to these subway stops portends frustration, crowding, and delays. The New York Post quotes the chairman of the LIRR Commuters Council:
"It is going to be worse than a nightmare - it will be a complete horror show. There will be no relief," LIRR Commuters Council chairman Gerry Bringmann said.Bringmann said that sources close to the negotiations have told him that a strike is very likely. The Post talked to some LIRR riders who said that they would either drive into the city or just not bother coming into Manhattan at all. The Amtrak workers are seeking a one-third increase in pay and back wages. It's been seven years since the unions have renegotiated their contracts."We're looking at more than an hour added to each commute, and then people will be packed like sardines on ice-cold platforms. It's going to put a massive strain on the alternative lines.
"It's insane."
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"...people will be packed like sardines on ice-cold platforms."
Boo hoo. Poor businessmen who are used to the comforts of LIRR and bar cars. God forbid they don a fucking hat in the winter. *gasp*
yeah - i have no sympathy for these commuters. they take what they want of manhattan, pay no city taxes for the services they use, and retreat back to their suburban shelters. fuck 'em.
Yeah screw the commuters! It's not like those of us who are getting by and who live in the burbs(NJ/Long Island) need to make a living! My wife works in the city, lives in NJ and pays the NYC tax. Sorry but the majority of decent jobs are in the city and some of us don't have the luxury of living in the city. Also those who live upstate NY or on Long Island are exempt from paying the NYC taxes from a law amended in 1999.
Commuters are part of our city's economy too! And I live in Manhattan. "Screw the commuters" is a stupid, ignorant thing to say.
- Why can't Amtrak let the MTA or NJ Transit run Penn Station operations during the strike?
- The E train will be completely unusable during the strike, this will affect CITY residents as well!
- Traffic congestion and air quality in the city during the strike will also affect residents.
ny2102, I think it's because NY Penn Station is owned and operated under Amtrak. So since all the maintenance workers, dispatchers, whatever that keep the rail running smoothly work for Amtrak, means that MTA and NJTransit will have to bite the dust. Whereas the Hoboken terminal is owned and operated by NJ Transit
And as Dave said, the PATH Trains to 33rd will suffer a lot more than E train will. Last year two trains broke down in the tunnel that goes from Jersey to Penn station, making all incoming NJ Transit trains re-route themselves to Hoboken. Even for one day only it was pretty chaotic.
would that mean union workers at Penn sta and others won't cross the picket line if there is a strike?
To Chucklehead #1 and Chucklehead #2:
Half the people on those packed sardine-esque platforms will be the people who take those subways everyday as part of their non-LIRR commutes.
Have a little sympathy, d-bags.
Tell me again how unions are great.
Spiritof76: Great medical bennies, a retirement system and a pleasant working environment if you get into a good shop?