LIRR, unions meet face to face as threat of a strike continues. Here's the latest.
The countdown continues to a potential Long Island Rail Road strike.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority and five of its unions are embroiled in a contract dispute that could trigger the railroad's first work stoppage in more than 30 years.
If the sides don't reach an agreement, a walkout could begin as early as 12:01 a.m. on May 16.
The potential strikers represent about half of the LIRR's 7,000 union workers.
Face-to-face negotiations resume
The MTA and the unions agree the path to a deal is through good-faith, ongoing bargaining. On Thursday, following multiple delays, they did just that, returning to the table with federal mediators.
"It's good to have face-to-face negotiations," MTA CEO Janno Lieber said.
"The fact that they are talking is definitely a positive sign," said Gerald Bringmann, chairman of the LIRR Commuter Council.
Unions have agreed on three years of a deal, but are holding out on a fourth, with raises totaling 14.5%.
"Someone has to pay the bill. It's going to be riders. It's going to be taxpayers," Bringmann said.
"We have a budget. We have costs," LIRR President Rob Free said.
But unions say there is plenty of money for yearly raises, thanks to congestion pricing and casinos.
The five LIRR unions told CBS News New York they are planning a major day of action rally Saturday to protest MTA inaction.
Strike contingency plans
An initial strike contingency plan has been unveiled on the MTA website. It includes shuttle bus service to subways in Queens from five Long Island locations -- Mineola, Hicksville, Huntington, Ronkonkoma, and Hempstead Lake State Park.
Riders say they are continuing to hold out hope that cooler heads will prevail and a strike will be averted. Some students who attend Chaminade High School, a private high school in Mineola, said without the LIRR they'd have a hard time getting to class.
"Honestly, it would be a struggle getting back and forth to school for me, personally," one student nurse said.
"I live an hour and 15 minutes away," a student said.
Other people said they would be forced to take a bus or perhaps ride a bicycle to get to their jobs.
