North Fork residents planning to head west by train this weekend may need a backup plan.

If the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Long Island Rail Road unions do not reach a deal by midnight, LIRR service could shut down entirely Saturday, leaving East End riders with few easy alternatives just as the busy summer season begins to pick up.

The potential strike would involve about 3,500 workers represented by five unions: the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, Transportation Communications Union and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

The unions are seeking an additional 5% raise for workers beginning this year. A 9.5% wage increase covering the last three years was previously agreed to by both parties.

If a strike happens, the MTA said “LIRR service would be forced to shut down entirely.”

That could leave East End travelers choosing between driving, canceling plans or paying more for alternatives such as the Hampton Jitney.

For some riders, that is already part of the calculation. Eric Rice, who responded to a Suffolk Times Facebook post about the looming strike, said he takes the 10:27 a.m. train out of Penn Station every two weeks and returns on the 9:34 a.m. from Southold. If a strike lasts more than two weeks, he wrote, “I will have to look into the Jitney, which I presume will be booked or crowded…”

On Friday, officials for the Hamptons Jitney said they would increase service if LIRR workers walk, News 12 Long Island reported.

The MTA has urged riders to work from home if possible and avoid nonessential travel, warning that “there is no substitute for the Long Island Railroad” in the event of a strike.

Limited shuttle bus service would be available following the start of a strike for essential workers and those who cannot telecommute. The buses would run toward Manhattan from 4:30 to 9 a.m. and toward Long Island from 3 to 7 p.m. Shuttle locations include Bay Shore, Hempstead Lake State Park, Hicksville, Huntington, Mineola and Ronkonkoma.

Vice President of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen Kevin Sexton told CBS News Thursday that the parties “are very far part,” though he expressed optimism about Friday’s talks.

“We’re gonna do everything in our power to reach an agreement, but I cannot guarantee that at this time,” Mr. Sexton told CBS. 

The last LIRR strike was in 1994, when workers walked off the job for two days.

The post LIRR strike looms at midnight, threatening North Fork train riders with few options appeared first on The Suffolk Times.

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