By Alfonso A. Castillo, Newsday; June 25, 2019
The Long Island Rail Road offered some of its union workers overtime pay in place of them taking state-permitted time off to vote in Tuesday’s elections, according to a letter obtained by Newsday.
In the letter sent Monday to railroad union leaders and posted at employee facilities, LIRR president Phillip Eng offered employees who requested time off to vote in Tuesday’s primary elections “the opportunity to withdraw that request.” Instead, employees would “receive in addition to their regular pay for their regular shift on June 25, 2019, a premium payment equal to three (3) hours at 1½ times pay,” the letter stated.