NEW YORK (AP) — As a major rail strike entered its second day, New York’s governor made an urgent appeal to union representatives to return to contract negotiations, warning that both workers and hundreds of thousands of daily passengers will suffer if the work stoppage continues.
“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,” the governor said during a press briefing on what marks the first strike in three decades for the transit system.
Speaking alongside the head of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority that operates the railway commonly called the “LIRR,” the governor urged union leaders to reach an agreement before Monday morning’s rush hour begins.
“We all know that the railroad is the lifeblood of Long Island. Without it, life as we know it is simply not possible. The bottom line is, no one wins in a strike. Everyone is hurt,” she said.
Following the press conference, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers and the Transportation Communications Union issued a joint statement saying 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 rail service, connecting New York City with its eastern suburban communities, stopped all operations just after midnight Friday when five labor unions representing approximately half the workforce began their walkout.
Contract talks between the unions and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority have continued for months, with discussions breaking down over employee wages and healthcare costs. While the previous administration attempted to facilitate an agreement, unions were legally permitted to strike beginning at 12:01 a.m. Saturday.
Kevin Sexton, national vice president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, indicated no future bargaining sessions are currently planned.
“We’re far apart at this point,” Sexton said Saturday. “We are truly sorry that we are in this situation.”
MTA Chairman Janno Lieber claimed the authority “gave the union everything they said they wanted in terms of pay” and suggested to him it seemed the unions had always planned to strike.
The work stoppage, the first for the LIRR since a brief 1994 strike, will likely disrupt plans for sports enthusiasts hoping to attend Yankees and Mets games this weekend or watch the Knicks’ playoff series at Madison Square Garden, which sits directly over the railroad’s Penn Station terminal in Manhattan.
The station lacked its typical weekend activity on Saturday afternoon. Only several dozen travelers were visible in the main area, mostly carrying luggage from Amtrak services, which remain unaffected by the strike.
Electronic boards that typically display train schedules instead showed phantom departures marked “No Passengers.” Several notices posted on customer service windows informed passengers that rail service was suspended due to the labor dispute.
Platform entrances were sealed with portable barriers and security gates while MTA police officers monitored the area, guiding people toward alternative transportation options.
Should the shutdown extend into the work week, approximately 250,000 weekday passengers will need to find alternate routes from Long Island suburbs to the city. Many will likely face the region’s infamous traffic congestion on roadways.
The governor, a Democrat, criticized the previous administration for ending mediation prematurely and allowing negotiations to reach a strike. The former president, a Republican, responded on his Truth Social platform, denying involvement in the strike and saying 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,” the former president said, reaffirming his support for Long Island politician Bruce Blakeman, who is running against the governor in her reelection campaign. “If you can’t solve it, let me know, and I’ll show you how to properly get things done.”
The MTA announced plans for limited bus service to New York City subway terminals. The governor encouraged businesses and organizations with Long Island employees to allow remote work when feasible.
“It’s impossible to fully replace LIRR service. So effective Monday, I’m asking that regular commuters who can work from home, should. Please do so,” she said.
The MTA stated that the unions’ original salary increase requests would have resulted in higher passenger fares and affected contract talks with other unionized employees.
The unions, representing locomotive engineers, machinists, signalmen and other railway personnel, argued that significant pay increases were necessary to help workers manage inflation and increased living expenses.
