LIRR strike ends, deal is reached; service resumes at noon Tuesday
LIRR negotiations 'not hopeful' as commuters struggle
FOX 5 NY's Linda Schmidt and Kendall Green are following the story as the LIRR strike nears the end of its third day.
LONG ISLAND - The LIRR strike has ended after three days now that a compromise has been reached, according to Gov. Kathy Hochul.
LIRR strike ends after 3 days
The backstory:
Thousands of LIRR workers from five separation unions went on strike after a failure to agree on a new labor contract.
Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) workers picket outside of Penn Station in New York, US, on Saturday, May 16, 2026. The LIRR, the nation's busiest commuter line, will suspend service for the first time in more than 30 years after labor groups and transit
On Sunday night, the National Mediation Board called both the MTA and the five unions to a meeting in Manhattan in an effort to restart stalled contract negotiations.
Why the strike happened
By the numbers:
Ultimately, the talks broke down over the proposed fourth deal for a new contract.
LIRR update: MTA claims unions showing 'no sense of urgency' in strike talks
Dellaverson said the unions presented no new proposals Monday and initially asked to delay negotiations until 1 p.m., later pushing availability back to 3 p.m.
However, the governor posted on X earlier tonight, May 18, that the MTA reached a deal with the unions.
LIRR services will resume starting tomorrow at noon.
How long was the last LIRR strike?
The backstory:
The last time there was a Long Island Rail Road strike was in June 1994. It lasted 2 days.
The Source: This article includes previous FOX 5 NY reporting.