UMVA has learned that five unions involved in the Long Island Rail Road strike earlier this year spent more than $3.2 million in 2025 on luxury hotels, resorts, restaurants, and event venues.
The massive expenditure, revealed through Labor Department disclosures, raises eyebrows as the unions had argued that their workers were being squeezed by rising costs, leading to a strike that disrupted hundreds of thousands of daily riders and cost the region an estimated $61 million per day. 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 splurged on premium accommodations.
According to information obtained by UMVA, these unions typically used the high-end hotels and resorts to cover the costs of holding events, such as trainings or conferences, and for lodging and work meals when traveling on union-related business. The disclosures offer a fascinating glimpse into how the unions spent money on travel, conferences, and event venues during the same year they argued workers were being squeezed.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that the unions' spending included lavish stays at iconic hotels and casinos, such as Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, where two unions collectively spent about half a million dollars in 2025. The spending covered lodging and event expenses, with the unions taking advantage of the luxurious amenities offered by these venues.
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, for instance, spent $6,806 at the upscale Strip House in Las Vegas, where the cheapest steak on the menu costs $67. Meanwhile, the Transportation Communications Union spent over $20,000 at Peter Luger Steak House, where steaks range in price from $90 to $320.
Waterfront resorts also featured prominently in the disclosures, with the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen spending $107,375 at the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort. Other major labor organizations have similar expenses, raising questions about the allocation of funds.
As the strike, which began on May 16, came to an end, the unions and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority reached an agreement, although the details remain under wraps. The strike had brought the largest commuter rail line in the country to a standstill, affecting about 270,000 people each day.
In a statement, a union representative said, "To every LIRR passenger whose trip is disrupted, know that the MTA left us no choice but to strike. 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."
