Union says Long Island Rail Road workers are striking over contract negotiations

Key Points:

• Workers on New York’s Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) began striking at 12:01 a.m. Saturday after contract negotiations with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) failed, halting service on North America’s busiest commuter rail system.
• The strike involves five unions representing about half of the LIRR’s 7,000 workers, including locomotive engineers, machinists, and signalmen, affecting approximately 300,000 daily riders who must seek alternative transportation or work from home.
• The unions demand a 16% wage increase over four years to keep up with inflation, while the MTA has offered at least a 9.5% raise over three years plus an additional 4.5% in the fourth year, with officials warning that higher raises could lead to fare hikes.
• Governor Kathy Hochul criticized the strike as reckless, emphasizing the need to protect affordability for riders and fairness across the workforce, and urged commuters to avoid nonessential travel while the MTA provides limited shuttle buses for essential workers.
• The strike has drawn mixed reactions from commuters and union members, with some sympathizing with wage concerns but criticizing the strike’s impact on the public, while union leaders blame the MTA for refusing reasonable terms despite multiple government recommendations.