Governor Hochul has been accused of instigating the Long Island Rail Road strike to undermine Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman and gain traction among voters in the Republican stronghold, according to a leading transit union chief who spoke to The Post.
John Samuelsen, International President of the Transport Workers Union, remarked, “It’s no accident that she’s stirring the pot right in Blakeman’s territory.”
He suggested that Hochul aims to gain an advantage in Nassau and Suffolk Counties by provoking a strike, thereby shifting the blame onto Blakeman and his Republican allies.
Samuelsen, whose Local 100 union negotiates on behalf of 40,000 subway and bus workers, holds Hochul and her allies at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority accountable for the strike involving five LIRR unions.
He warned that her failure to avert the strike could jeopardize not only her re-election campaign but also influence other Democratic races come November.
“If Democrats don’t start holding Kathy Hochul accountable for her actions and her disregard for trade unions, they might face consequences,” said Samuelsen, whose union has yet to endorse a gubernatorial candidate.
The labor leader also ripped the Hochul-controlled MTA for refusing to follow the recommendations of two federal panels that would have prevented a strike and for tapping Gary Dellaverson as the MTA’s chief negotiator in the labor talks.
Dellaverson served as the MTA’s chief labor negotiator in 2005 during highly contentious contract disputes with TWU Local 100 that led to an illegal walkout that paralyzed NYC’s subways and buses for three days during the December holiday season.
“I do believe [the] hiring of Dellaverson has gone underreported,” said Samuelsen. “It was foreshadowing of things to come because exactly what went down in 2026 with the [LIRR] went down in 2005 because of . . . this guy.”
Hochul spokesperson Gordon Tepper said Samuelsen “has no role in these negotiations, and New Yorkers should view his political commentary accordingly.”
“This is about protecting riders and taxpayers,” said Tepper. “Gov. Hochul directed the MTA to offer fair options to LIRR workers without driving up fares or taxes for Long Islanders, and that is what they have done . . . Everyone should be focused on getting both sides back to the table.”
