Long Island Rail Road workers strike, halting commuter service

newsMay 16, 202620144

Five unions representing 3,500 Long Island Rail Road employees walked off the job after contract talks with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority failed, halting service on the LIRR, North America’s busiest commuter railroad. The work stoppage suspended trains for about 330,000 daily riders and prompted officials to warn of severe gridlock and major transit delays across Long Island and into New York City. Unions are demanding higher wages and improved staffing, while MTA officials say they offered substantial concessions before talks collapsed. Commuters should plan alternate routes and expect canceled trains and longer travel times until negotiators reach a new agreement.

AZ Intel

@azintel.bsky.social

New York: Long Island Rail Road workers go on strike, shutting down North America's busiest commuter rail system. - AP

187h ago

Stefanos Chen

@stefanoschen.bsky.social

Looks like the LIRR deal will come down to the wire. Management and unions still trading offers, with a midnight deadline looming. Here's the latest on what a strike could mean: www.nytimes.com/2026/05/13/n...

179h ago

Eric Goldwyn

@egoldwyn.bsky.social

Has anyone ever documented all of the work rules that govern LIRR, MetroNorth, NYCT, and MTA Bus? Enjoyed this @stefanoschen.bsky.social joint re: impending LIRR strike: www.nytimes.com/2026/05/13/n...

14Yesterday

Effective Transit Alliance

@etany.org

A fire in the East River tunnels has shut down almost all LIRR service into and out of Penn Station. While disasters like this are thankfully rare, they highlight the value of an emergency operations plan—especially for a railroad with as many terminals as the LIRR. www.etany.org/statements/m...

Penn Station Fires and the
Value of an Emergency Plan
May 15, 2026
On Thursday, May 14, a midday fire knocked out two of the four East River tunnels that the
Long Island Rail Road uses to access Penn Station. Because one additional tunnel was closed
for a long-term overhaul, this left only a single track for all trains between Penn Station and
Long Island during May 15th’s AM rush. This has caused massive disruptions: at first, the LIRR
suspended most service west of Jamaica. Since then, the railroad has begun to divert some
trains to Grand Central Madison (GCM) and Atlantic Terminal as it very slowly resumes
operations to Penn Station.
Before going further, it is important to note that this is not an ordinary week for the LIRR. The
railroad is preparing for a possible strike beginning at Midnight, which should it not be called off
at the last minute would prevent any trains leaving terminals as of that time. This further
complicates the situation by requiring the agency to modify schedules and make other
preparations to ensure that trains are in locations that permit for a rapid resumption of service if
the potential strike ends. For more info on the strike, the LIRR has set up an information page
with final trains, and alternative service. ETA encourages straphangers to keep an eye on LIRR
social media and alerts for the latest strike information.
Fires and other severe disruptions are thankfully rare, and ETA is happy that no one has been
injured. At the same time, thanks to its redundancy, the LIRR can and should develop
emergency service plans that can be implemented on short notice for major disruptions like
this1.
This is not unprecedented. Trains on NJ Transit’s Morris & Essex, Montclair-Boonton, and
Gladstone Lines that normally run into Penn Station via MidtownDIRECT are being diverted to
Hoboken Terminal under an emergency operations plan. From there, riders can take PATH... read the rest on etany.org

1113h ago

Rachel Holliday Smith

@rachelholliday.bsky.social

well, the LIRR strike deadline has passed. we’re in it now!

127h ago

Rev. Poppy Haze 𓅋

@poppyhaze.bsky.social

got this this morning at Grand Central Madison, flyer explaining possible strike imminent and a little card showing the shuttle bus service I wish the MTA would bring some shuttle buses for us on the Port Washington line

A poster reading “Prepare for possible LIRR strike as early as 12am on Saturday, May 16, 2026. Make a plan.” Below it is a card showing 6 shuttle buses to the NYC subway, 2 to the F train from Huntington and Ronkonkoma in Suffolk county. And 4 to the A train from Mineola, Hicksville, Bay Shore, and Hempstead in Nassau county.

88h ago

carpenter22.bsky.social

@carpenter22.bsky.social

Long Island Rail Road Strike Shuts Down Busiest U.S. Passenger Rail Service www.nytimes.com/2026/05/16/n...

51h ago

The LIRR Today

@thelirrtoday.com

One last blown connection at Jamaica before LIRR service shuts down systemwide for a strike. Wouldn't have it any other way.

87h ago

Alex Ullman

@nerdtothecore.com

One of the top posts on r/NewYorkMets is from an LIRR worker telling fans not to take the railroad tonight since the union may strike and all the responses are pro union. So my team may stink right now, but the fans are alright.

718h ago

Cameron Kuss

@ckuss.bsky.social

apnews.com/article/lirr... Island Rail Road workers go on strike, halting busiest US commuter rail system Up the Union! In Solidarity!

44h ago

BlackskyNews 🗞️

@blackskynews.blacksky.app

Thousands of NY commuters are going to be impacted as the LIRR shuts down due to a strike over contract negotiations. The Unions was looking for a 5% pay increase, The MTA said they were offering a 3% raise with options to bring it up to 4.5%. #BlackskyNews www.msn.com/en-us/news/u...

47h ago

Evan Simko-Bednarski

@simko-bednarski.bsky.social

The Penn Station meltdown comes ahead of a 12:01 a.m. strike deadline set by five unions representing 3,500 LIRR workers. They've said they'll walk off the job first thing Saturday if the MTA doesn't meet their wage demands.

612h ago

Jose Martinez

@jmartineznyc.bsky.social

Back to June 2015 and another LIRR squabble that was settled days before a strike. Incredibly, only one joker tried to bust up our live shot at 41st Street and 8th Avenue. I should get back to wearing a suit once in a while.

6Yesterday

Arin Arcady

@rnrkd.bsky.social

Bloomberg news's headline was "LIRR out of options as union strike deadline nears" and like okay you can agree to the union's last offer? That's an option? I'm not even saying it's a good one (I know nearly nothing about this) but it's definitely an option.

58h ago

Upzone New Jersey 🏗️

@upzonenj.bsky.social

I don't want a LIRR strike. But if it happens, consider it a useful touching the stove in illustrating the traffic risks if we don't fund transit, and why areas without transit need it.

319h ago

3 sources

wcvb.comLong Island Rail Road workers go on strike, halting busiest US commuter rail system wmur.comLong Island Rail Road workers go on strike, halting busiest US commuter rail system apnews.comLong Island Rail Road workers go on strike, halting busiest US commuter rail system

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Long Island Rail Road workers strike, halting commuter service

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