Unions that paralyzed New York commute over pay spent millions on luxury travel, filings show
Five unions involved in the Long Island Rail Road strike earlier this week reported more than $3.2 million in 2025 spending on hotels, resorts, restaurants and event venues, according to...
By Fox News · Fox News
Five unions involved in the Long Island Rail Road strike earlier this week 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, according to union disclosures reviewed by Fox News Digital. Unions typically cut checks for high-end hotels to cover the costs of holding events, such as trainings or conferences. They also use luxury venues for lodging and work meals when traveling the country on union-related business. The disclosures offer a window into how the unions spent money on travel, conferences and event venues during the same year they argued workers were being squeezed by rising costs. The strike disrupted hundreds of thousands of daily riders and cost the region an estimated $61 million per day. NY GOVERNOR BLAMED FOR 'LACK OF LEADERSHIP' AS RAILROAD STRIKE DISRUPTS MORE THAN 300,000 COMMUTERS 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 with the Labor Department by the five unions involved in the LIRR strike, identifying payments to hotels that market themselves as premium, resorts, casinos and restaurants where menu prices sit above typical casual dining costs. The reported payments included Las Vegas casino hotels, upscale restaurants, beachfront resorts and golf-related venues. Union-backed rail workers went on strike on May 16, arguing that their wage growth had not kept pace with the rising cost of living, effectively shutting down the largest…