Amtrak workers have threatened to go on strike on January 31st if their demands for a new contract aren't met, a move that would paralyze almost 20,000 commuters in the tri-state area. Service to New York City by The Long Island Rail Road and NJ Transit would be effectively crippled, meaning longer commutes and massive strain on alternative routes and lines. The White House Thursday recommended a deal similar to that given freight railroad workers nationwide last April, in an effort to bring both sides back to the table.
See "'Burbs in Rail Trouble", Lucy Carne, New York Post, January 6, 2008