Kathy Hochul and Bruce Blakeman must BOTH stand up to the union thugs threatening an LIRR strike

Five privileged LIRR unions are aiming to hold the metro region hostage: If the MTA refuses to pay the ransom — a steep wage hike — they’ll strike, possibly as soon as May 16.

That’ll shut down the rail line, and much of New York with it.

Gov. Kathy Hochul, and her Republican rival for governor, Bruce Blakeman, both need to make clear they’ll stand up to these thugs and prevent them from extorting New Yorkers.

“We’re talking about a complete and total shutdown,” the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen’s Kevin Sexton threatened this month. “The clock is ticking.”

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers’s Jeff Klein warned not to underestimate the unions’ resolve: “Our memberships are prepared to do what’s necessary,” even if it means a long, crippling strike.

Who do these people think they are? Who do think they’re threatening?

Get a load of the arrogance: LIRR salaries already top those of most railroads in the country, averaging $136,000 among the five holdouts in 2024, per MTA figures. 

True, they’ve reportedly agreed to what about 80% of the agency’s other unions have accepted: raises of 3%, 3% and 3.5% for the past three years.

Yet unlike the other unions, these five holdouts are demanding the contract cover a fourth year as well, with an outrageous, bank-busting bump of 5%.

And if the MTA caves on that, the other unions would scream, “Me, too” — igniting chaos.

To avoid a strike, the agency generously offered pay hikes of 4.5% in the fourth year, but the unions would have to agree to fix some perverse work rules to produce savings.

Under one rule, for example, an engineer who operates a diesel train and an electric train on the same day must be paid for two days. Huh?

And he’d be owed a third day’s pay if he drove passengers but later took a train to a yard. Just nuts! Those rules need to be fixed, no matter what.

Yet so far, the unions are refusing that deal. They don’t give a damn about the riders or taxpayers who’d get stuck with service cuts or fare hikes or see tax dollars diverted to cover the MTA’s increased costs.

And they made sure to push the issue into an election year so they’ll have greater leverage.

To her credit, Hochul so far hasn’t backed the unions’ extortion schemes. But she’s not known for her backbone.

Plus, Blakeman stunningly appears to be giving Hochul cover — by nudging her to surrender to the unions.

The Nassau Country exec urged the gov to “advance” the non-binding recommendations of two Presidential Emergency Boards, which essentially sided with them.

Does he truly think backing labor groups over the rest of New York is his path to victory?

Recall that he also backed a ridiculous, costly pro-Transport Workers Union bill requiring two operators on every subway train, and hinted about backing pension sweeteners, too.

If Hochul winds up letting the LIRR unions fleece New Yorkers, Blakeman might deserve some of the blame along with her.