Re: Recommendations of PEB 253

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

As you are aware, Presidential Emergency Board (PEB) No. 253 issued its report on October 17, 2025. The Board’s role was to make recommendations based on the evidence presented. The PEB’s recommendations are not binding and do not constitute a final agreement. Instead, they serve as a framework intended to guide the parties in reaching a mutually acceptable settlement. While the Board did not adopt the full 6.5% General Wage Increase (GWI) we proposed for June 16, 2026—recommending instead a 4.5% increase effective July 1, 2026—it is critical to recognize that this report affirms many of the core principles that guided our fight:

• The Board made clear that “pattern principles do not deprive us of our ability to negotiate terms outside of an asserted or established pattern” (pg. 52).
• The Board rejected the notion that existing compensation packages justify denying fair wage increases (pg. 55).
• The Board acknowledged that “the loss of real wages over the first three years of the Carrier’s proposal is a legitimate reason to undertake reasonable steps to try and maintain real wages…” (pg. 57).

From day one, the Coalition’s objective was to secure wage increases that protect real earnings. The Carrier’s proposals failed to address such (pg. 57), and as soon as the Carrier was able to assert there was a so-called pattern, the Coalition was left to propose terms outside of such in pursuit of our objective. As expected, it was met with stiff objection by the Carrier and would only be supported if we subsidized GWIs through work rule concessions—pursuing that path would not have added value to the package. More importantly, it was not supported by the Board’s recommendations.

We are disappointed that the Board did not accept our full 6.5% GWI and extended the term by one month. But taken as a whole, this report moves us in the right direction. It confirms our fight was justified, our demands are reasonable, and that maintaining real wages must remain central to resolving this dispute.

The PEB’s findings provide a path for continued negotiations. Moving forward, the Carrier can negotiate with us, exercise their right to self-help when the cooling-off period expires, or request a second PEB; we are prepared for whichever option they choose.

As always, we will continue to update the membership as discussions progress. We thank you for your continued support. United, we are strong.

In Solidarity,
The Long Island Rail Road Bargaining Coalition