LIRR unions, MTA to resume talks Monday morning | Live updates

The MTA has contingency plans in place in case Long Island Rail Road workers go on strike for all lines except one - the Port Washington Branch.

Some riders are left wondering why.

Krista McNally has the latest on the looming LIRR strike.

"That will be a nightmare for commuters, a lot of people in this town use the train to get to the city for work," said Port Washington resident Dennis Krevey.

The Port Washington line is one that will not have bus service available to commuters.

"We need bus service for somewhere on this line," said Town of North Hempstead Councilwoman Mariann Dalimonte.

Dalimonte wrote a letter to the county executive and town supervisor requesting public parks be made available for commuter parking.

Nassau county executive Bruce Blakeman released a statement saying in part:

"NICE Bus will have extra buses on existing routes to handle overload in the event of a strike. NICE Bus drivers will not cross picket lines by establishing new routes and NYS regulations do not allow for direct bus service to Manhattan. All county parks have large parking lots which can be used for carpooling."

Contract negotiations will go into the night.

Union members are taking a break and then talks will resume at 7 p.m.

The union said they are working toward and agreement "slowly, very slowly."

They say it's unlikely there will be a settlement Thursday as there is still a long way to go.

"We are going to do everything in our power to reach an agreement but I cannot guarantee that at this time," a union rep said.

A union representative told Eyewitness News that both sides -- the unions and the MTA -- are currently exchanging new proposals and that a union economist is crunching the numbers.

Union workers entered another round of meetings on Thursday morning at 10.

Those union leaders are calling the standoff unfortunate and say they do not want to strike.

Similar sentiments were shared by the MTA.

In the event that LIRR workers do go on strike on Saturday, the MTA says be prepared for service to shut down entirely.

The MTA is continuing negotiations with the unions, but they are putting a contingency plan in place to be safe.

Shuttle buses will travel from the Ronkonkoma LIRR station and the Huntington LIRR station to the Jamaica 179th Street subway stop in Queens. There, commuters can take the F train into Manhattan.

Buses will also run from the Bay Shore, Hicksville and Mineola stations as well as Hempstead Lake State Park station. Those shuttles will go to the Howard Beach - JFK Airport subway station where commuters can connect to the A train.

Click here for more details of the MTA's contingency plan.