The shutdown of the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), North America’s largest commuter rail system, entered its second day on Sunday after unionized workers walked off the job for the first time in three decades. The railroad, which serves New York City and its eastern suburbs, ceased operations just after midnight on Friday when five unions representing roughly half of its workforce went on strike.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul, who has urged commuters to work from home, planned a news conference for late Sunday morning. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), the public agency that operates the railroad, was not expected to provide an update before the governor’s remarks.
The unions and the MTA have been negotiating for months on a new contract, with talks stalled over workers' salaries and healthcare premiums. The Trump administration attempted to broker a deal, but the unions were legally permitted to strike starting at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday. Kevin Sexton, national vice-president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, stated that no new negotiations have been scheduled. “We’re far apart at this point,” Sexton said early Saturday. “We are truly sorry that we are in this situation.”
MTA Chairman Janno Lieber countered that the agency “gave the union everything they said they wanted in terms of pay” and that it appeared the unions had always intended to walk out. The walkout, the first for the LIRR since a two-day strike in 1994, promises to cause significant disruptions for sports fans planning to see the Yankees and Mets play this weekend or watch the Knicks’ playoff run at Madison Square Garden, which sits directly above the railroad’s Penn Station hub in Manhattan.
On Saturday afternoon, Penn Station was devoid of its usual weekend bustle. Only a few dozen people were seen traversing the main concourse, many dragging rolling luggage from departing or arriving Amtrak trains, which are not affected by the strike. Departure boards that normally show upcoming trains by destination instead listed ghost trains marked “No Passengers.” A few signs affixed to customer service windows explained that the railroad was shut down due to a strike. Access to platforms was blocked off with bicycle-rack style barricades and roll-down gates as MTA police officers stood sentry, directing people to alternative transportation.
If the stoppage continues into the workweek, the roughly 250,000 people who ride the system each weekday will be forced to find other routes to the city from Long Island suburbs. For many, that likely means navigating the region’s notoriously congested roads. The MTA has said it would provide limited shuttle buses to New York City subway stations, but that contingency plan was not designed to handle all the riders the system normally carries on a workday.
Governor Hochul, a Democrat, blamed the Trump administration for cutting mediation short and pushing the negotiations toward a strike. Trump, a Republican, responded on his Truth Social platform, saying he had nothing to do with the strike and “never even heard about it until this morning.” “No, Kathy, it’s your fault, and now looking over the facts, you should not have allowed this to happen,” Trump said, renewing his endorsement of Long Island politician Bruce Blakeman, who is challenging Hochul’s re-election bid. “If you can’t solve it, let me know, and I’ll show you how to properly get things done.”
