The LIRR strike shut down Long Island Rail Road service after unions and the MTA failed to reach a new contract before the 12:01 a.m. Saturday deadline. About 3,500 workers went on strike, leaving nearly 300,000 commuters with very few transportation options and shutting down what the source describes as the largest commuter rail system in the nation.

Long Island Rail Road information board at Penn Station
Archive photo of a Long Island Rail Road information board at Penn Station in New York. Photo: Bonnachoven / Wikimedia Commons / CC0 1.0

MTA contract negotiations end without agreement

The stoppage followed MTA contract negotiations centered largely on wages and the fourth year of the proposed contract. Union representatives sought wage increases totaling 14.5% over four years, while the MTA offered slightly smaller increases along with a $3,000 lump-sum payment.

Talks on Thursday lasted from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. without producing an agreement. Negotiators were expected to return Friday, with union officials saying the sides remained far apart.

Kevin Sexton, vice president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, said after Thursday’s negotiations:

“At this point the parties are very far apart but we look forward to meeting with them tomorrow and we’ll take it from there,” said Kevin Sexton, vice president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen.

Union representatives said they hoped the remaining differences could still be resolved, identifying wages and the contract’s fourth year as the main outstanding issues. They also accused the LIRR of making threats and using tactics that made the railroad appear “foolish and unlawful.”

MTA chief negotiator Gary Dellaverson described Thursday’s session as “frustrating.” He said he had expected talks to move more quickly after the MTA put the full amount recommended by the federal board on the table. MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber also attended the negotiations that day.

The MTA rejected union claims that it was using “gimmicks” or “games.” Agency officials said the proposal included additional money for workers and fully matched the recommendations of the Presidential Emergency Board. Despite the lack of an agreement, MTA officials said they remained optimistic.

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LIRR strike preparations and contingency plan

As the deadline approached, the LIRR advised passengers traveling Friday night to complete their journeys before midnight.

“If you’re traveling tonight, plan a trip that ends before midnight,” the advisory said.

The MTA prepared for an orderly LIRR shutdown if no agreement was reached. The plan called for all trains to be in the yard by 12:01 a.m. Passengers would be notified of the final departure time on each branch through the TrainTime app and social media, while MTA officials planned to coordinate with LIRR unions during the shutdown.

The agency urged commuters to work from home if the strike proceeded. Its MTA contingency plan included shuttle buses from six locations on Long Island to subway transfer points in Queens.

LIRR workers begin strike after deadline

Negotiations ultimately ended without a new contract by the Saturday deadline. No further talks were scheduled at that point, with picketing set to begin at 7 a.m. Saturday at Penn Station and Ronkonkoma Station.

The railroad was completely shut down. Trains that had begun their journeys before the midnight deadline were allowed to continue to their final destinations so that passengers would not be left stranded.

Following the breakdown in negotiations, Sexton said the two sides remained far apart.

“We’re far apart at this point,” Sexton said. “We are truly sorry that we are in this situation.”

Context

The contract dispute had already gone through two Presidential Emergency Boards before the strike. The first was established in September 2025, while a second board was created in January 2026 after the first board’s recommendations were not accepted by all parties. The second board submitted its report on March 16. Federal records identify BLET, BRS, IAM, IBEW and TCU as the unions involved in that proceeding and state that they represented approximately 3,500 of LIRR’s 7,000 unionized employees.

Lieber said the strike was “obviously not the result we are looking for” and that everyone loses with a strike.

“The MTA board cannot responsibly make a deal that implodes the budget,” Lieber said after contract negotiations ended without a deal at midnight.

Lieber added that the agency wanted to avoid a deal that would force fare hikes and said it was shocking that the unions were depicting LIRR workers as underpaid.

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