LIRR strike threat: Contract talks drag on in final hours before walkout that could strand 300,000 daily commuters
Source: AMNY
By Ethan Stark-Miller
Posted on May 15, 2026
MTA leadership and representatives of five Long Island Rail Road unions returned to the bargaining table late Friday morning and were still negotiating around 2 p.m., less than 12 hours until the coalition of rail workers has said they will go on strike if their demands for wage increases are not met.
If the walkout happens, some 300,000 daily commuters who rely upon the LIRR would need to find an alternate way to get around. Officials have said the MTA’s announced contingency plans — including shuttle buses to replace train service — would not be enough to alleviate expected traffic.
The talks followed a separate two-hour bargaining session between the MTA and TWU Local 100 — the union representing the largest number of agency employees, nearly 40,000 — earlier Friday morning. TWU is also negotiating its new contract, with the current one expiring on Saturday; the union has yet to announce any potential job actions.
The latest
Talks resumed on May 15 following a marathon of nearly 12 hours of negotiations on Thursday.
A Long Island Rail Road train inside of Penn Station.
Photo by Dean Moses
Read more: https://www.amny.com/news/lirr-strike-threat-contract-talks-deadline-05152026/