Possible LIRR strike could happen at midnight if no deal is reached | Live updates

A spokesperson for the coalition of LIRR unions representing workers said negotiations will continue Friday evening. The MTA will come back to them with another proposal between 5 and 6 p.m., and they are planning a news conference around 7 p.m.

For now, the MTA and unions are about 1% apart on wages, the union spokesperson said. LIRR has come down from 5% and MTA has gone up from 3%. MTA is in the mid-3% range and LIRR is in the upper-4% range.

The MTA has posted the schedule of the last LIRR trains to run in the event of a strike at midnight.

The agency said it will implement an orderly shutdown in the event of a strike

"If the strike does happen at 12:01 am, LIRR trains that are in service before midnight on Friday, May 15 will continue to their final destination. We recommend that you plan to finish your trip before midnight."

LIRR officials held a briefing Friday afternoon to discuss the possible worker strike.

During the weekdays, the MTA will operate shuttle buses during the peak periods (4:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.). The buses have the capacity to transport about 13,000 riders from east to the city, and will drop off at bus locations in Queens where they'll have signs and MTA staff to assist customers, according to MTA officials.

The MTA also said they would work quickly and as soon as possible to resume service once the strike ends but that it would take them some time to resume service once the strike ends, due to the crew rest periods, where the equipment is and what time the strike ends.

See the list of last trains below:

Babylon Branch
11:45 p.m. westbound from Babylon to Penn Station
11:51 p.m. eastbound from Penn Station to Babylon

Brooklyn service
11:31 p.m. from Atlantic Terminal to Jamaica
11:39 p.m. from Jamaica to Atlantic Terminal

Far Rockaway Branch
11:30 p.m. eastbound from Grand Central to Far Rockaway
11:14 p.m. westbound from Far Rockaway to Grand Central

Hempstead Branch
10:55 p.m. westbound from Hempstead to Grand Central
11:54 p.m. eastbound from Grand Central to Hempstead

Long Beach Branch
10:53 p.m. westbound from Long Beach to Penn Station
11:57 p.m. eastbound from Penn Station to Long Beach

Montauk Branch
8:50 p.m. eastbound from Jamaica to Montauk
10:53 p.m. eastbound from Jamaica to Speonk
10:03 p.m. westbound from Montauk to Jamaica
11:30 p.m. westbound from Patchogue to Jamaica

Oyster Bay Branch
11:30 p.m. westbound from Oyster Bay to Jamaica
11:43 p.m. eastbound from Jamaica to Oyster Bay

Port Jefferson Branch
10:20 p.m. eastbound from Penn Station to Huntington with connection to Port Jefferson
11:48 p.m. eastbound from Penn Station to Huntington with no connection to Port Jefferson
11:52 p.m. westbound from Huntington to Penn Station
9:26 p.m. westbound from Port Jefferson to Huntington with connection to Penn Station
11:28 p.m. westbound from Port Jefferson to Huntington with no connection at Huntington

Port Washington Branch
11:36 p.m. westbound from Port Washington to Penn Station
11:45 p.m. from Penn Station to Port Washington

Ronkonkoma Branch
11:37 p.m. eastbound from Penn Station to Ronkonkoma
11:54 p.m. westbound from Ronkonkoma to Penn Station

West Hempstead Branch
11:18 p.m. eastbound from Jamaica to West Hempstead
11:58 p.m. westbound from West Hempstead to Jamaica

Krista McNally spoke to LIRR riders in Massapequa who are preparing for the worst.

Krista McNally has more.

The union negotiating team returned to MTA headquarters this morning with little more than 12 hours to close a deal that's eluded them since last year.

"We're going back and forth here, I said, you know, we're going to give it our best, guys, we want everybody to know that we're doing everything in our power to prevent the service disruption, we just need a partner," said Kevin Sexton, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen.

N.J. Burkett reports.

At 11:30 Friday morning, Gov. Kathy Hochul called the 16th floor conference room and told both sides, "...getting a deal requires both sides to work together, including labor. Nobody wins in a strike - riders will suffer and thousands of workers will lose out on wages they need."

But the governor did not make a counter offer. And the possibility of a strike was growing by the hour this afternoon.

The unions are demanding wage increases of 14.5% over four years. MTA officials have offered slightly smaller increases and a lump-sum payment in the contract's fourth year, to make up the difference. It's largely in line with contracts accepted by the LIRR's conductors and New York City Transit workers.

But the unions have insisted that their wages need to keep pace with rising inflation and have ruled-out accepting any lump sum payments. Negotiations broke down late last night with each side accusing the other of walking out.

"I am always optimistic that this process, which I've been engaged in for basically my entire adult life, can result in a successful resolution. All right? This is what I think. I believe this," said Gary Dellaverson, MTA Chief negotiator. "As long as you come in, in good faith and you work and you work hard towards a resolution, you can find the common ground. You can find the agreement."

Here's what union negotiators told reporters this morning:

"Hopefully we can reach an agreement. We will keep you abreast throughout the day," Sexton said.

N.J. Burkett asked why the negotiations broke down Thursday night.

"Because we don't agree about the fourth year," Sexton said.