BLET members working for Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) should have received a mailing from the National Division regarding the union’s strike authorization vote at the commuter railroad. Members who are eligible and have not received a strike authorization packet by September 8 should call the National Division at (216) 241-2630, extension 222. When connected with the extension, please leave the following information:
- Your name, address, and phone number;
- The Division to which you belong;
- The railroad you work for;
- The date you were promoted to locomotive engineer;
- Your date of birth; and
- The last four digits of your Social Security number.
All replacement ballots will be distributed by email. Any member who requires a replacement ballot must include their email address in the voicemail; otherwise, they will not be able to participate in the strike authorization vote.
The deadline for receipt of ballots is at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Monday, September 15, 2025.
The nearly six hundred locomotive engineers employed by LIRR have been without a pay raise for over three years, the last coming on April 16, 2022. The contract dispute has been in National Mediation Board-sponsored mediation since February 2024.