There’s nothing like the threat of a strike to remind us that transit is essential. The work stoppage called off last week by union officials would have wiped out Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) service for almost 300,000 daily riders, gut-punching the regional economy in the process. It could still happen in January or even next spring after the clock runs out on the union’s requested federal mediation.

The MTA is ready to negotiate. We agreed to binding arbitration months ago and are open to finding solutions that could deliver some of the extra wages the unions are seeking in exchange for more efficient work rules – the very same approach that resolved the recent New Jersey Transit strike.

But so far, the unions have resisted changes to their byzantine work requirements, which are among

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