When it comes to preventing a strike by Long Island Rail Road workers that would disrupt the lives of 300,000 commuters who depend on the train to get them to work each day, everyone seems to be passing Harry Truman’s buck.
Gov. Cuomo has said it’s not his job, even though he appoints the majority of the board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which runs the LIRR.
Because of a quirk of history that makes the LIRR subject to federal rather than state law, the governor says it’s up to Congress to intervene.
But on Wednesday, Congress also refused to get involved, saying it’s a state issue between labor and management.
Meanwhile, the MTA remains without a final contingency plan. In an ad it ran this week, the MTA called on LIRR commuters to work from home if there’s a strike, and told them not to rely on a limited supply of shuttle buses it would be providing.
In short, there’s no one’s looking out for the passengers.
After Congress punted, Cuomo issued a statement in which he said an LIRR strike is “just not an option.”
The reality is Congress’ inaction only makes a strike more likely, because the union now knows no one is going to stop it. So there’s no pressure to accept very reasonable offers.
That’s a pity, because taxpayers and riders alike need the governor to step up to the plate to make clear the MTA is not going to let the unions blackmail it into another agreement the state cannot afford.
And then push Washington to recognize reality by subjecting this state-owned railroad to New York state law.