At 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, five unions representing roughly 3,700 Long Island Rail Road workers walked off the job. More than 330,000 commuters on the nation’s largest commuter rail line were left looking for another way in.
The strikers include ticket clerks, locomotive engineers, signalmen, electricians and machinists. It is the fourth strike in the railroad’s history. The earlier ones came in 1980, when it lasted two days, in 1987, when it lasted 11 days, and in 1994, when it lasted two days.
The LIRR said service was suspended until further notice. “Avoid nonessential travel and work from home if possible,” it told riders, adding that limited weekday shuttle buses would serve essential workers and others who cannot telecommute. The MTA said the shuttles would run at peak hours between select Long Island locations and subway stations in Queens, and warned of severe congestion and delays across the region.
Where the talks stand
Before the walkout, the unions and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority had worked out a contract with work-rule changes and annual wage increases of 3% over three years. The sticking point was a proposed fourth year. The unions wanted a 5% raise for that year, and MTA officials said they could not meet it and that doing so could force fare increases.
Kevin Sexton, national vice president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, said no new negotiations were scheduled. “We’re far apart at this point,” he said. “We are truly sorry that we are in this situation.” MTA Chairman Janno Lieber said the agency “gave the union everything they said they wanted in terms of pay.” He claimed union leaders appeared to have meant to strike all along.
Politicians trade blame
Gov. Kathy Hochul called the strike “reckless” and “unacceptable.” She said thousands of workers were going without a paycheck because of decisions by a small group of union leaders, and urged both sides to “bargain non-stop until a deal is reached.” She also blamed the Trump administration, saying federal officials cut mediation short and pushed talks toward a strike.
President Donald Trump answered on Truth Social on Saturday morning. He wrote that he had “NOTHING TO DO WITH IT” and had not heard of the strike until that morning, and said the fault was Hochul’s. He said Nassau County executive Bruce Blakeman, the Republican running for governor, could settle it.
Blakeman also faulted Hochul. “Hundreds of thousands of Long Islanders woke up to chaos,” he said in a statement, adding that she knew the deadline was coming.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said his office was helping coordinate contingency efforts. “New Yorkers should prepare for heavier-than-usual traffic, crowded transit options and additional travel time,” he wrote on X.
Sources
Sources
- Google News – Long Island Rail Road workers' strike – Overview
- LIRR workers go on strike over wage dispute… | Fox News
