3 hours and 51 minutes ago
MTA releases new statement following LIRR strike announcement
MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber released a new statement on X about LIRR strike negotiations.
Live
LIRR strike shuts down nation's busiest railroad as unions, MTA fail to reach deal | Live updates
Long Island Rail Road workers went on strike as of 12:01 a.m. Saturday after not reaching a new contract deal with the MTA.
Last updated: Saturday, May 16, 2026 3:47PM GMT
NEW YORK (WABC) -- Long Island Rail Road workers went on strike as of 12:01 a.m. Saturday, after not reaching a new contract deal with the MTA.
CURRENT STATUS: No deal reached as deadline passes.
The union representing LIRR workers is pushing for higher pay, but MTA leaders warn that agreeing to those demands could trigger significant fare hikes.
The five unions represent 3,500 workers, including engineers, signalmen and trainmen.
The MTA is now rolling out a contingency plan that includes shuttle buses to help move riders. Some 250,000 commuters are impacted by the shutdown.
Key Headlines
- 9:25 AM GMT
- 9:25 AM GMT
Here's how the news is developing.
2:36 PM GMT
Queens Borough President speaks to Eyewitness News amid LIRR strike
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. says he is very concerned about the impact of the LIRR strike.
Richards Jr. says the buses and subways will be 'chaos' if the strike continues into Monday.
2:27 PM GMT
Islip town supervisor Angie Carpenter shares station plans amid LIRR strike
Angie Carpenter told Eyewitness News the town is trying to accommodate commuters.
The Bayshore station is going to be a staging area for buses, and the parking enforcement has been suspended amid the strike.
12:50 PM GMT
Blakeman blames Hochul for the strike
Nassau County Executive and candidate for Governor of New York Bruce Blakeman blamed Governor Hochul for the LIRR in a statement issued on Saturday.
"Hundreds of thousands of Long Islanders woke up to chaos because Kathy Hochul failed to do her job. This strike didn't come out of nowhere - Hochul knew this deadline was coming and still allowed commuters, small businesses, nurses, teachers, and tourists to become collateral damage. Hochul can't pass a budget on time, can't keep the trains running, and cares more about bailing out Zohran Mamdani than the commuters stranded on platforms. Hands down, Hochul is the worst governor in America," he wrote.
