Mayor De Blasio Keeps Vacation Plans As Possible LIRR Strike Looms
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Mayor Bill de Blasio has no plans to postpone or cancel his 10-day family vacation to Italy in spite of a possible Long Island Rail Road strike next week.
The mayor's vacation begins two days before the July 20 strike deadline.
"We're going to watch each development by definition," de Blasio said. "We have a plan for this trip, but we're going to watch along the way and see how things develop."
MORE: Guide To Surviving The Strike | What Both Sides Want | What's Your Backup Plan? | Join The #LIRRStrike Conversation
De Blasio said he is confident the city could manage a strike effectively.
"In the event there is a strike, the contingency plans are very, very strong," de Blasio told reporters, including WCBS 880's Rich Lamb. "We benefit from the fact it's July, and I think the amount of travel is reduced in July. We benefit from the fact that a lot of people now, because of technology, can work from home. And I imagine if that event comes to pass, a lot of people will work from home who live in Long Island."
The mayor said there's also a chance that once the deadline arrives, there could be a mutual extension.
"Everything has to be a case by case decision," de Blasio said. "At this moment, I am hopeful that there will not be a strike, and I believe very strongly in the contingency plans in place, but we'll monitor the situation closely."
It is unclear if the mayor was aware that the latest round of contract negotiations had collapsed when he made that statement Monday, 1010 WINS' Roger Stern reported.
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