Dear Brothers and Sisters,
I am pleased to announce that the membership has ratified the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) by an overwhelming 98% margin. This historic agreement reflects your unity and steadfast commitment to one another, and it will help shape pattern bargaining across the nation’s commuter rail industry for years to come. The gains in this contract reach beyond our own membership, setting a stronger standard that railroad workers across the industry can build on in future negotiations. The agreement includes the largest single general wage increase (GWI) on the Long Island Rail Road in nearly 40 years-4.5%-and delivers a compounded 14.7% GWI over the contract’s 50.5-month term. Just as importantly, these gains were achieved without meaningful work-rule concessions and without compromising the interests of future LIRR employees. This contract shows what workers can achieve when they stand together and demand the respect they have earned.
I would be remiss if I did not thank every member who took the time to participate in the ratification process. Whether you voted for the agreement or against it, your participation gives our union its legitimacy. The right of the membership to review, discuss, and ultimately decide the fate of an agreement is a core democratic principle on which our organization is built.
This contract was not won easily. It is the result of years of sacrifice, solidarity, and determination by the membership. The outcome reflects the will of the overwhelming majority of those who cast their ballots.
While the result was decisive, every vote reflects an opinion that deserves consideration. A handful of members chose to vote against the agreement, and that is certainly their right. But meaningful change is only possible when concerns are voiced and discussed. Without questions or dialogue, it becomes difficult to understand what led to those votes. Opposing a process in principle without engaging in it rarely produces progress. Engagement does.
Discussion does. When concerns are not communicated, the union has little opportunity to address them, evaluate them, or incorporate them into future strategy.
As we move forward under this new agreement, I encourage every member to stay involved, ask questions, share opinions, and make their voices heard. The strength of our union does not come from unanimous agreement; it comes from civil discourse and active participation in the democratic process.
On behalf of the entire leadership team, thank you again for your trust, your participation, and your continued commitment to our Brotherhood. Together, we have demonstrated the power of solidarity and the strength that comes from standing united in pursuit of a common goal.
In Solidarity,
Jeff Klein
General Chairman