Unions representing thousands of striking workers of the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) service and operator Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) had yet to reach an agreement by early Monday morning, after the workers walked off the job Saturday in protest of insufficient wages. The last time LIRR workers went on strike was in 1994.
At a press conference on Sunday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul urged negotiators to reach a deal for the sake of commuters. “We all know that the railroad is the lifeblood of Long Island,” Hochul said. “Without it, life as we know it is simply not possible. The bottom line is, no one wins in a strike. Everyone is hurt.”
Hochul, who is seeking reelection this year, has blamed the Trump Administration for the strike. But President Donald Trump slammed Hochul for blaming him, writing on Truth Social on Saturday that he “never even heard about [the strike] until this morning.”
Here’s what to know.
The unions say the striking workers have not received raises since 2022 and have been negotiating a new contract with the MTA since 2023 amid rising living costs. But these negotiations have stalled over salaries and healthcare premiums. To avoid a work stoppage, the unions asked Trump to intervene, and the President in September 2025 and again in January this year ordered an emergency board of experts to help mediate and make recommendations. But a deal still wasn’t reached.
Janno Lieber, MTA’s CEO, told CBS News on Sunday that the workers from these holdout unions are already among the “best paid workers” in the U.S., saying that the average salary is $136,000, and hundreds earned more than $200,000. Other authorities have claimed that the demanded wage increases could not be met without triggering fare hikes. Hochul said that the workers are demanding contracts that would result in fares needing to rise by as much as 8%.
How is the Trump Administration involved?
LIRR workers, unlike other MTA workers, are covered by the 1926 Railway Labor Act, which aims to prevent service disruptions by requiring elaborate dispute resolution procedures between carriers and employers. These procedures can include reviews by a Presidential Emergency Board and cooling-off periods.
But with the unions subsequently requesting the intervention of two emergency boards, that cooling-off period was extended, and an imminent strike was thwarted. The second emergency board, which released a report on March 16, extended by 60 days the required cooling-off period.
The National Mediation Board summoned representatives of the unions and the MTA on Sunday to try and help negotiations anew, and talks are slated to resume on Monday morning.
Empty train platforms at Penn Station are seen after the suspension of Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) service due to a strike, in New York, on May 17, 2026. —Charly Triballeau—AFP/Getty ImagesWho is affected by the strikes?
Hochul said in her Sunday press conference that thousands of people depending on the LIRR will be affected by the strike. Forcing these passengers to find alternative modes of transport, including driving cars, could potentially worsen traffic on New York’s major highways. She urged that by Monday, regular commuters could hopefully work from home to mitigate the impact of the strike.
The MTA also said that, pending board approval, it will provide prorated refunds to May monthly ticket holders during days of strike-related service suspensions.
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