New York sports fans have plenty to be excited about this weekend.
The Mets are hosting the Yankees in the Subway Series from Friday to Sunday. The Red Bulls have a derby matchup on tap with New York City FC set for Saturday night. And the Knicks could tip off the Eastern Conference finals on Sunday if the Cleveland Cavaliers close out their series against the Detroit Pistons in Game 6 Friday night.
But anyone hoping to attend those games may not be as enthusiastic about getting there.
That’s because the Long Island Rail Road, the largest commuter rail system in North America, which serves New York City’s eastern suburbs and carries almost 300,000 passengers each weekday, is on the verge of a potential shutdown.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which operates the LIRR, has spent months negotiating a new contract with five unions that represent about 3,500 workers, or roughly half of system’s workforce. At the core of the talks is an increase in compensation, and if an agreement isn’t reached by 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, that collection of engineers, signalmen, machinists, electricians and other staffers will go on strike.
