President Trump fumed after workers for the Long Island Rail Road — the nation’s largest commuter train line — went on strike Saturday morning, blaming New York Gov. Kathy Hochul for workers walking off the job.
At 12:01 a.m., five unions representing 3,700 workers, including ticket clerks, locomotive engineers, signalmen, electricians and machinists, went on strike.
It’s the fourth strike in the rail line’s history.
Ms. Hochul, a Democrat, blamed the Trump administration for the strike, saying it ended mediation too soon, making a work stoppage unavoidable.
The unions had asked the Trump administration to intervene by forming an emergency board to review the dispute. Panels appointed by Mr. Trump urged the New York Metropolitan Transit Authority to offer the unions more money. It was not binding.
Mr. Trump lambasted Ms. Hochul for pointing a finger at his administration.
“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,” he wrote on Truth Social. “She just blurted out ‘it’s President Trump’s fault,’ No Kathy, it’s your fault, and now looking at the facts, you should not have allowed this to happen.”
He added, “Kathy, call me if you can’t do it, I will get it done — I know all the players, great people!!”
Mr. Trump also contended that Bruce Blakeman, Nassau County executive and GOP candidate for New York governor, could solve the problem if he’s elected to succeed Ms. Hochul in November.
“If you can’t solve it, let me know and I’ll show you how to properly get things done. This would be an easy one for Bruce Blakeman. He should be your next governor and New York State would turn around fast, including far less crime and much lower taxes,” the president wrote.
The unions representing LIRR workers want a 5% raise for the final year of the next contract. MTA officials said they could not offer the wage increase because it would result in a fare hike.
The strike is LIRR’s first since a two-day shutdown in 1994.
