Long Island Rail Road strike enters day 2 with no talks scheduled

NEW YORK -- Union workers return to the picket lines on Sunday, but there is still no word on when negotiations between labor leaders and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority will resume.

Follow live updates on the LIRR strike here.

For the region's roughly 300,000 daily Long Island Rail Road riders, the disruption continues. Train service remains suspended following a strike that began early Saturday, bringing the nation's busiest commuter rail system to a standstill.

Approximately 3,500 union workers - about half of the LIRR workforce - walked off the job, marking the railroad's first strike in more than three decades. The labor action follows three years of unsuccessful contract negotiations, two federal interventions, and a last-minute round of bargaining that ultimately failed to produce an agreement.

Five labor unions representing engineers, signal workers, and machinists say they are protesting what they describe as insufficient wage increases. The MTA, however, blames union leaders for the breakdown, saying it has made offers that include pay raises but claims unions have been unwilling to compromise.

To help ease the disruption, the MTA plans to provide free shuttle bus service from six Long Island stations to two subway hubs in Queens. However, the agency acknowledges the service will be limited, with far fewer seats than needed. Additionally, the shuttle buses will not begin operating until Monday and will run only on weekdays.

As a result, thousands of commuters are left to find alternative ways into New York City over the weekend.

Union leaders on the picket lines Saturday expressed frustration with the negotiation process leading up to the strike.

"You go throughout the whole day and you're getting proposal after proposal that is just regressive, and then to drop one at the end that is a nonstarter for anyone," said Gilman Lang, General Chairman of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen.

The MTA maintains it cannot agree to a deal that would jeopardize its financial stability.

In a statement, Governor Kathy Hochul underscored the agency's position, saying:

"These unions represent the highest paid workers of any railroad in the nation, yet they are demanding contracts that could raise fares as much as 8%, pit workers against one another, and risk tax hikes for Long Islanders."

If the strike continues into the workweek, the MTA is urging commuters to work from home if possible starting Monday.

If the strike does continue, Eyewitness News This Morning will begin at 4:00 a.m. on Monday.

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