Five unions involved in the Long Island Rail Road strike reported more than $3.2 million in 2025 spending on hotels, resorts, restaurants and event venues, according to Labor Department disclosures reviewed by Fox News Digital.
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and Transportation Communications Union collectively spent upwards of $3.2 million on premium accommodations in 2025, per union disclosures. The strike disrupted travel for hundreds of thousands of daily riders and cost the New York region an estimated $61 million per day.
The strike began May 16 and concluded at noon Tuesday. The unions had been negotiating with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority since 2023 over wages they argued were not keeping pace with rising costs. A deal has since been reached, though details have not been made public.
LM-2 forms are annual financial disclosure reports that labor unions file with the Department of Labor, detailing receipts, disbursements, officer payments and other spending. Fox News Digital reviewed 2025 LM-2 forms filed by the five unions involved in the LIRR strike, identifying payments to hotels marketed as premium, resorts, casinos and restaurants where menu prices sit above typical casual dining costs.
What the Right Is Saying
Critics say the disclosures create a stark contrast with the unions' public messaging about worker hardship during negotiations. They argue that spending hundreds of thousands of dollars at casinos, steakhouses and beachfront resorts while arguing workers cannot afford cost-of-living increases undermines the unions' position.
Conservative commentators have pointed to the specific expenditures as evidence that union leadership prioritized luxury over addressing member concerns sooner through compromise. Some have called for greater transparency in how unions spend member dues.
Opponents of public sector strikes note that the $61 million daily economic impact fell hardest on working-class commuters who could not work from home or easily find alternative transportation. They argue the strike exposed vulnerabilities in regional infrastructure dependent on a single transit operator.
What the Left Is Saying
Labor advocates argue that union expenditures on conferences and events are standard practice for organizations representing hundreds of thousands of workers. They note that unions typically use upscale venues to host training sessions, committee meetings and member gatherings that require lodging and event space.
Progressive groups have defended the unions' negotiating position, citing data showing that transit workers' wages had not kept pace with inflation for years before the strike. Supporters say the unions followed legal procedures and ultimately reached a settlement through collective bargaining, which is how the system is designed to work.
"To every LIRR passenger whose trip is disrupted, know that the MTA left us no choice but to strike," Gil Lang, General Chairman of the BLET's LIRR General Committee, said in a statement. "We don't want to be on the picket line. But after three years without raises, we cannot make any more compromises to cover for the MTA's mismanagement."
Labor unions broadly argue that such expenditures are necessary investments in organizational capacity and member services. They note that hosting events at appropriate venues is part of running a modern labor organization and serves functions beyond recreation.
What the Numbers Show
The five LIRR unions collectively reported more than $3.2 million in 2025 spending at luxury hotels, resorts and restaurants, according to LM-2 filings reviewed by Fox News Digital.
Specific expenditures identified include: BLET and IAM spent approximately $500,000 combined at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas for lodging and events; TCU spent $856,403 at Caesar's Hotel in Reno; BLET paid $107,375 at Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort; IBEW spent about $130,000 at TradeWinds Island Resort in Florida plus another $130,000 at Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island.
On dining: IAM spent $6,806 at Strip House where steaks range from $67 to $155; TCU spent over $20,000 at Peter Luger Steak House where steaks range from $90 to $320.
The LIRR strike cost the New York region an estimated $61 million per day in economic disruption, according to estimates cited in reporting. The railroad is the largest commuter rail line in the United States by weekday ridership.
The Bottom Line
This story illustrates tensions that arise when organizations argue financial hardship on behalf of their members while disclosing significant expenditures on luxury venues. The LIRR strike has concluded with a settlement whose terms remain private, leaving unanswered questions about what wage increases or benefits changes were ultimately agreed to.
What to watch: Whether the MTA releases details of the final agreement and how union members vote on ratification. Lawmakers in Albany may also examine whether changes to transit worker bargaining rules are warranted given the economic impact of strikes on major metropolitan areas.