Service will return to the Long Island Rail Road on Tuesday following a labor agreement that brings an end to a work stoppage that crippled the nation’s largest commuter rail network.
Tuesday morning’s rush hour will remain challenging for suburban New York City travelers, since train service won’t restart in time for the morning work commute, railway officials announced following Monday night’s agreement.
The LIRR advised passengers to continue working remotely on Tuesday when feasible. Limited complimentary shuttle bus service will continue operating from select Long Island stops to New York City subway terminals.
Work stoppage began at 12:01 a.m. Saturday when five labor organizations representing approximately half of the railway’s employees walked off the job, disrupting service for about 250,000 daily riders who depend on the system linking New York City with its eastern suburban communities.
Among the exhausted Long Island travelers celebrating the strike’s conclusion was Hallie Kessler. Without train service available, the 24-year-old speech therapist spent three hours traveling home Monday from her position at a public school in the New York City borough of Queens.
“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,” Kessler said. “Curious what the deal says about future fares, which has been a big concern, but we’ll see.”
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and railroad officials have said they’re not at liberty to disclose details of the new contract terms until they’re voted on and approved by union members. But the Democrat, who is up for reelection, stressed the deal won’t increase fares or taxes and will give unionized workers the fair wages they deserve.
Weekend disruptions first affected baseball enthusiasts who needed alternative transportation to reach Citi Field in Queens for the New York Mets game against their crosstown rivals the New York Yankees.
Hochul said the deal ensures basketball fans won’t meet the same fate as they travel to watch the New York Knicks continue their playoff run on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden, which is located directly above the LIRR’s Penn Station hub in Manhattan.
The unions — which represent locomotive engineers, machinists, signalmen and others — and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority had been negotiating a new contract since 2023, but talks had stalled over salaries and healthcare.
The unions have said raises were needed to help workers keep up with inflation and the rising cost of living in the New York City area. The MTA had said the union’s initial demands would lead to fare increases and set a difficult precedent for negotiations with other transit unions.
The strike was the first walkout for the LIRR since a two-day strike in 1994.
