Deal reached to end strike at largest US commuter railroad
Yahoo News New Zealand • • general
Key Points:
- A three-day strike by 3,500 Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) workers ended after marathon negotiations resulted in a tentative deal, announced by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, which includes raises for workers without raising fares or taxes.
- The deal must be ratified by union members; if rejected, the strike could resume, but workers are scheduled to return on Tuesday with phased service resuming at noon.
- The strike, which began Saturday after failed last-minute talks, disrupted service for nearly 300,000 daily passengers and led the MTA to urge remote work while providing limited shuttle buses for essential workers.
- Unions sought their first raise since 2022 amid high regional living costs, and although MTA management warned that meeting demands could require fare hikes or increased taxpayer funding, the final agreement avoids these increases.
- The LIRR has not fully recovered pre-pandemic ridership levels, currently at about 90%, and lost approximately $2 million per weekday during the strike, with prorated refunds planned for monthly pass holders.