LIRR Workers Strike, Stranding 330,000 Commuters

Workers for the Long Island Rail Road went on strike early Saturday, leaving more than 330,000 commuters without service.

At 12:01 a.m., five unions representing roughly 3,700 workers walked off the job. The unions include ticket clerks, locomotive engineers, signalmen, electricians and machinists. It is the fourth strike in the rail line's history.

The LIRR confirmed in a statement that service has been suspended until further notice. The railroad urged riders to avoid nonessential travel and work from home if possible. It said it would run limited shuttle bus service on weekdays for essential workers and those who cannot telecommute.

Kevin Sexton, national vice president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, said no new negotiations had been scheduled. "We're far apart at this point," Sexton said. "We are truly sorry that we are in this situation."

MTA Chairman Janno Lieber said the agency gave the union everything it asked for in pay and suggested union leaders had planned to strike all along.

Unions and the MTA had negotiated a new contract that included work-rule changes and annual wage increases of 3 percent over three years. The dispute centered on a proposed fourth-year wage increase, with unions seeking a 5 percent raise for the final year. MTA officials said they could not meet that demand and warned it could force fare increases. The agency also warned the shutdown would cause severe congestion and delays across the region.

As part of its contingency plan, the MTA said it would operate limited weekday shuttle bus service during peak commuting hours between select Long Island locations and subway stations in Queens.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul called the strike reckless and unacceptable. "Commuters are dealing with unnecessary dysfunction and thousands of union LIRR workers are being forced to go without a paycheck because of decisions made by a small group of union leaders," she said in a statement. "I stand with LIRR riders and will fight to preserve the long term stability of the MTA."

Hochul also blamed the disruption in part on the Trump administration, saying federal officials cut mediation efforts short and pushed negotiations closer to a strike.

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. "The MTA has announced that limited weekday bus service will be available for essential workers and others who cannot telecommute."

The first LIRR strike occurred in 1980 and lasted two days. Another strike in 1987 lasted 11 days, while a third strike in 1994 lasted two days.