LIRR strike strands 250,000 commuters on second day

Hundreds of thousands of Long Island commuters faced a second day without train service Sunday after five unions representing roughly half the Long Island Rail Road workforce walked off the job just after midnight Friday. The first strike at the system in three decades left Penn Station nearly empty on a weekend when sports fans normally fill trains for Yankees, Mets and Knicks games. With weekday ridership averaging 250,000, the shutdown now threatens to push drivers onto already crowded roads and force many essential workers to find new routes into Manhattan.

Negotiations between the unions and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority had produced agreement on retroactive 3 percent raises for 2023 through 2025 plus a $3,000 bonus. The remaining gap centers on the 2026 increase: unions seek a permanent 5 percent raise while the MTA has offered a one-time lump-sum payment worth 4.5 percent. Union vice president Kevin Sexton said the sides remain far apart and no new talks are scheduled. MTA chairman Janno Lieber countered that the agency had met prior union demands on pay and suggested the walkout had been planned.

Governor Kathy Hochul blamed the Trump administration for ending federal mediation early. Trump replied on Truth Social that he had no role and renewed his support for Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman. Hochul urged commuters to work from home where possible. The MTA said it would run limited shuttle buses to subway stations but acknowledged those buses cannot replace full rail capacity. Labor relations expert William Dwyer noted that Hochul’s reelection bid makes Long Island a critical battleground if fares rise to cover any settlement.