MTA and LIRR unions reach tentative deal to end New York strike after commuter disruptions

Trains are set to resume rolling on the Long Island Rail Road on Tuesday after a deal was reached to end a strike that had shut down the busiest commuter rail system in the country.But commuters in the eastern suburbs of New York City still had to muddle through another tough morning rush hour, as trains weren’t set to be running in time for the commute into work after the agreement was reached late Monday.Limited train service was set to resume around noon, with full service expected to be back in time for the evening rush.The LIRR still urged riders to work from home again Tuesday if possible. Shuttle buses were being offered from a handful of locations on Long Island to subway stations in New York City.Five labor unions representing about half the train system’s workforce went on strike at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, halting service for roughly 250,000 commuters who use the rail system that connects New York City to its eastern suburbs every weekday.Hallie Kessler was among the weary Long Island commuters who welcomed the strike’s end. With the trains out of service, the 24-year old speech therapist commuted three hours home from her job at a public school in the New York City borough of Queens on Monday.“Obviously I wish trains would be running when peak hours start so I could avoid the long morning commute, but happy to not deal with it in the afternoon when I’m leaving work,” Kessler said. “Curious what the deal says about future fares, which has been a big concern, but we’ll see.”New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and railroad officials have said they’re not at liberty to disclose details of the new contract terms until they’re voted on and approved by union members. But the Democrat, who is up for reelection, stressed the deal won’t increase fares or taxes and will give unionized workers the fair wages they deserve.The first impacts of the walkout were felt over the weekend, as baseball fans had to find other ways to get to Citi Field in Queens to see the New York Mets take on their crosstown rivals the New York Yankees.Hochul said the deal ensures basketball fans won’t meet the same fate as they travel to watch the New York Knicks continue their playoff run on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden, which is located directly above the LIRR’s Penn Station hub in Manhattan.The unions — which represent locomotive engineers, machinists, signalmen and others — and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority had been negotiating a new contract since 2023, but talks had stalled over salaries and healthcare.The unions have said raises were needed to help workers keep up with inflation and the rising cost of living in the New York City area. The MTA had said the union’s initial demands would lead to fare increases and set a difficult precedent for negotiations with other transit unions.The strike was the first walkout for the LIRR since a two-day strike in 1994. —Philip Marcelo, Associated Press

NY MTA, LIRR Unions Reach 'Fair Deal' To End Strike After Commuter Chaos Grips NYC New York's MTA reached a tentative labor deal with five Long Island Rail Road unions, ending the first LIRR strike in more than 30 years. Roughly 3,500 workers walked off the job Saturday, sparking commuter chaos for several hundred thousand people who heavily rely on the train service. "Tonight, the @MTA reached a fair deal with the five LIRR unions that delivers raises for workers while protecting riders and taxpayers," Governor Kathy Hochul wrote on X late Monday. The good news is that LIRR service will resume at noon today. However, for the 300,000 people who rely on the service to get to work this morning, the disruption still appears to be ongoing. Tonight, the @MTA reached a fair deal with the five LIRR unions that delivers raises for workers while protecting riders and taxpayers. I’m pleased to announce that phased LIRR service will resume beginning tomorrow at noon. — Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) May 19, 2026 LIRR confirmed that service will remain disrupted this morning because there is not enough time to get crews into position to run trains. Limited Long Island Rail Road service will resume tomorrow with shuttle buses continuing to operate through the AM rush. Customers should continue to work from home on Tuesday if possible. Check our website for details: https://t.co/QNV4sIPCsH pic.twitter.com/DYjK8UTDkY — LIRR (@LIRR) May 19, 2026 The lefty union behind the commuter chaos is the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, which stated on X overnight, "The coalition of five labor unions, including BLET, today ended their 3-day strike at Long Island Rail Road after coming to terms on a tentative contract." The coalition of five labor unions, including BLET, today ended their 3-day strike at Long Island Rail Road after coming to terms on a tentative contract. The strike began just after midnight on Saturday, May 16. Read more: https://t.co/9C6qkMxEI8 pic.twitter.com/tGOqdfJ47A — Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (@BLET) May 19, 2026 Related coverage: "Please Work Remote": NYC Braces For Commuter Chaos With Ongoing LIRR Strike Lefty Union Paralyzes Long Island Rail Road As Strike Sets Commuter Chaos Countdown For Monday Bloomberg noted, "The unions were seeking a 5% boost, or close to it, while the MTA offered close to 4.5% along with ways to find savings to help pay for the higher raise." Tyler Durden Tue, 05/19/2026 - 06:55

The New York City metro area is facing major travel disruptions as a historic Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) strike entered its third day for the start of the workweek on Monday. The strike marks the first for LIRR workers since 1994. LIRR is operated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), the region’s public transit company. Here’s the latest and what you need to know: How many workers are striking? After negotiations between the unions and the MTA stalled on Saturday, around 3,500 LIRR workers walked off the job. According to the MTA’s latest service alert, all branches of the Long Island Rail Road are suspended. The trains carry around 250,000 customers each day of the workweek across 947 trains. “The City is preparing for travel disruptions going into the workweek and New Yorkers should too,” New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani posted to X on Sunday. “New Yorkers should plan for heavier-than-usual traffic and additional travel time,” he added. Why are workers striking? Workers are seeking the same 9.5% retroactive wage increase that the MTA already agreed to for other transit workers. The increase would cover their last three years of employment. Additionally, they’re asking for a 5% increase for the current year. According to the unions, LIRR workers haven’t been given a raise since 2022. Meanwhile, the MTA says that if they give LIRR workers the pay they are demanding, it could result in up to an 8% fare increase for riders. In a statement to the New York Times, two of the unions representing machinists and communications workers that are involved in the strike said that their pay isn’t keeping up with the cost of living. “Waiting four years for a raise is not fair, sustainable or realistic in an era of record inflation and rising housing costs,” they said. But in addition to a more general raise, workers are also concerned over the MTA’s attempts to get rid of other contract rules that result in higher pay for workers—such as receiving two days’ worth of pay when they switch to operating a different kind of train midday. Likewise, the MTA has proposed that employees absorb their healthcare costs at a higher rate. What will happen next? On Sunday morning, New York Governor Kathy Hochul asked that the unions continue to work with the MTA. “Just three days of a strike would erase every dollar of additional salary that workers would receive under a new contract. We don’t need to be here. Workers deserve better, but also New Yorkers deserve better,” she said. Hochul also advised that anyone who is able should work from home Monday. Additionally, Hochul also blamed President Trump for ending mediations early last fall. In response, Trump blamed the governor and said he could “properly get things done” if necessary. The MTA, according to the governor, will begin deploying shuttle buses to subway stations in Queens at 4 a.m. on Monday for essential workers. The governor added that the parking lot at Citi Field is open and that commuters can park there for $6 and take the 7 train. Regardless, Hochul pressed that it is “impossible to fully replace LIRR service” and urged “getting everyone back to the table” as soon as possible to resolve the dispute.  Disclosure: Mansueto Ventures newsrooms Fast Company and Inc. are represented by the Writers Guild of America, East.

"Please Work Remote": NYC Braces For Commuter Chaos With Ongoing LIRR Strike Welcome to day three of the Long Island Rail Road strike, which is set to cause commuter chaos this morning in the New York City area, as more than 3,500 workers across five unions walked off the job Saturday after contract talks with the MTA collapsed. Negotiations between the MTA and unions resumed Sunday and are set to continue Monday morning. LIRR service remains suspended due to the strike. Please work from home if you can. If you must travel today, travel alternatives include: • Limited shuttle bus service to/from six Long Island locations to Queens subway stations, for both the AM and PM rush hour. • NICE Bus… — LIRR (@LIRR) May 18, 2026 The MTA has urged riders to work remotely today and is deploying up to 275 free shuttle buses, though that capacity only covers a tiny fraction of the LIRR's nearly 300,000 weekday riders. It seems that Socialist NYC Mayor Mandami finally got his promise of free buses, but at the cost of a strike and commuter chaos. The disruption could also snarl travel to Long Island beach destinations over Memorial Day weekend, including the Hamptons. Some employers, including JPMorgan and Citigroup, have advised affected workers to consider remote work this week. The National Mediation Board, a federal agency that oversees labor disputes, summoned both sides late Sunday evening to continue negotiations, but no resolution was found. Talks are expected later today. A spokesman for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters stated that their wage proposal was reasonable and that two federal review panels had sided with them. "We remain ready to negotiate a fair agreement at any time and get back to work on behalf of Long Island commuters," the statement said. The union wrote on X, "After more than three years with no raises, LIRR's union workers, including 500 Teamsters locomotive engineers, will not make any more sacrifices to cover for the MTA's mismanagement." Rail Teamsters from the @BLET and their union coalition remain on strike at the MTA-owned Long Island Rail Road. After more than three years with no raises, LIRR’s union workers, including 500 Teamsters locomotive engineers, will not make any more sacrifices to cover for the… pic.twitter.com/acb6jGY6Fj — Teamsters (@Teamsters) May 17, 2026 What an absolute mess for commuters this morning. Tyler Durden Mon, 05/18/2026 - 07:45