LIRR service resumes after strike crippled nation’s busiest commuter rail system
The strike marked the first walkout for the LIRR since a two-day stoppage in 1994
Hollif
Long Island Rail Road service has resumed hours after a deal was reached to end a strike that paralyzed the nation's busiest commuter rail system.
Commuters in the New York City suburbs still faced a challenging morning rush hour Tuesday as trains did not start running in time for the peak commute.
Service resumed at 12 pm with the first trains operating on the Babylon, Huntington, Port Washington, and Ronkonkoma branches. Full service was set to be back by 4 pm.
The railroad warned that delays and cancellations are possible as service is restored and urged commuters to check the TrainTime app before traveling.
The strike, which began at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, involved five labor unions representing approximately half of the train system’s workforce. It halted service for roughly 250,000 commuters who rely on the rail system to connect New York City with its eastern suburbs every weekday.
Among those affected was Hallie Kessler, a 24-year-old speech therapist, who endured a three-hour commute home from her job in Queens on Monday.
Welcoming the strike's end, Kessler stated, "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. Curious what the deal says about future fares, which has been a big concern, but we’ll see."
New York Governor Kathy Hochul, a Democrat seeking reelection, and railroad officials said they could not disclose the specifics of the new contract terms until union members vote on and approve them. However, Hochul emphasized that the agreement would not lead to increased fares or taxes and would ensure unionized workers receive fair wages.
The initial impacts of the walkout were felt over the weekend, forcing baseball fans to find alternative transportation to Citi Field in Queens for the New York Mets' games against the New York Yankees.
Gov. Hochul noted that the deal now ensures basketball fans will not face similar travel woes as they head to Madison Square Garden, located directly above the LIRR's Penn Station hub, to watch the New York Knicks continue their playoff run Tuesday.
The unions, representing locomotive engineers, machinists, signalmen, and other personnel, had been negotiating a new contract with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority since 2023. Talks had stalled primarily over disagreements concerning salaries and healthcare benefits.
Unions argued that raises were essential to help workers cope with inflation and the high cost of living in the New York City area, while the MTA had countered that the unions' initial demands would necessitate fare increases and establish a difficult precedent for negotiations with other transit unions.
This strike marked the first walkout for the LIRR since a two-day stoppage in 1994.
