New York’s rail network is facing significant disruption as workers on the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) continue their strike into a third day, affecting hundreds of thousands of commuters ahead of the Monday morning rush.
Unions representing New York’s LIRR launched the strike over the weekend after failing to reach a deal with rail management over pay and work rules.
The strike has already reached its second day and is the first strike on the LIRR in over 30 years for around 3,5000 union workers, following a two-day stoppage in 1994.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has warned there is "no substitute" for the railroad, urging commuters to work remotely if possible.
As no formal talks between union leaders and management are scheduled for Sunday, the strike is likely to continue into the busy weekday rush on Monday.
Limited shuttle services are being provided for stranded passengers, though the MTA has warned of "severe congestion and delays".
New York Governor Kathy Hochul urged unions representing the LIRR to resume bargaining on Sunday, saying a long strike hurts workers and hundreds of thousands of commuters.
“This is my official invitation. We didn’t want you to leave. You left. You’re welcome to come back. I’ll provide refreshments, whatever you like. Just c’mon back,” Hochul told a news conference.
After the news conference, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers and the Transportation Communications Union said in a statement that the union workers “are not asking for special treatment — they are simply fighting to keep up with the skyrocketing cost of living in the New York region after years without a raise.”
The MTA and unions have been negotiating for months on a new contract, but these talks were stalled over questions of workers’ salaries and healthcare premiums.
The Trump administration then tried to broker a deal, but the unions were legally allowed to strike starting at 12:01 a.m. Saturday.
Hochul, a democrat, blamed the Trump administration for cutting mediation short and pushing the negotiations toward a strike.
Trump rebutted, saying he had nothing to do with the strike and he 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 in a post to Truth Social.
