LIRR strike extends into today’s commute

Over a quarter of a million NYC-area commuters are having a much worse Monday than usual, as the Long Island Railroad’s (LIRR) first strike since 1994 continues.

The dispute between five LIRR employee unions and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), the state agency that operates the LIRR, which began on Saturday at 12:01am, didn’t come out of the blue. Contract negotiations proceeded, unsuccessfully, over three years, and two federal interventions also failed to move the needle on a deal, according to the New York Times.

What workers want: The ~3,500 engineers, signalmen, machinists, and other employees in the striking unions have not received a raise since 2022. They are seeking a 9.5% retroactive raise—3% for 2023, 3% for 2024, and 3.5% for 2025. The MTA agreed to that.

The sticking points

The LIRR unions involved in the strike also asked for a 5% raise for 2026.

• The MTA said no can do, as it would exceed deals it has made with other unions in its jurisdiction.
• To avoid drawing the ire of the 80 other unions, the MTA countered with a 3% raise and a lump-sum cash payment, which they rejected. The MTA said that the cash compensation for workers in the five striking unions for 2025 averaged $136,000.
• Workers’ proposed changes to healthcare premiums went unanswered.

“The raises weren't really raises, when you factor in inflation,” Steve Ammirati, a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen union, told CBS.

Additionally, the MTA sought to abolish several work rules that result in higher pay for the unionized employees. An example provided by the New York Times: If a worker started the day driving a diesel train but is asked to switch to an electric train on the same day, that worker must receive two days’ pay.

Zoom out: More than 270,000 passengers use the LIRR trains daily, especially weekday commuters going to and from work. At a news conference yesterday, NY Gov. Kathy Hochul said striking workers would erase their gains from a new contract by staying on strike for three days. There are currently no further negotiations scheduled.—HVL