New York faces first weekday of strike that shut down commuter rail system
Summary
A strike by workers on the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) has shut down the busiest commuter rail system in the U.S. for three days. Unions and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) are still negotiating but have not reached an agreement. Many commuters are facing delays and are finding other ways to get to work.Key Facts
- The strike began at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday and involves about half of the LIRR workforce.
- Five unions representing train engineers, machinists, and signal workers are participating.
- Workers want higher wages to keep up with inflation and rising living costs.
- The MTA says the requested raises would cause big fare increases and are higher than pay for other union workers.
- Around 250,000 people normally ride the LIRR daily.
- The MTA is running free shuttle buses but fewer people are using them than expected.
- Negotiations have been going on since 2023 but stalled over pay and healthcare.
- New York Governor Kathy Hochul and the National Mediation Board have urged both sides to reach a deal quickly.
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