Five unions begin strike at Long Island Rail Road, threatening service for nearly 300,000 riders

The Teamsters said early Saturday that a five-union coalition representing about 3,500 Long Island Rail Road workers had launched a strike, a move that could disrupt the busiest U.S. commuter railroad and nearly 300,000 daily riders if it proceeds as announced.

In a press release dated May 16, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters said BLET Teamsters at the Long Island Rail Road walked out alongside four other unions. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which owns and operates the LIRR, had already warned riders of a possible shutdown, publishing an advisory Friday saying service could be suspended as early as 12:01 a.m. Saturday and outlining contingency plans for essential travel.

The unions identified in the dispute are the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the Transportation Communications Union. Together, they represent about 3,500 workers, according to the National Mediation Board and public reporting. If the walkout proceeds, it would be the first LIRR strike in 32 years; the last systemwide strike was in 1994.

The fight centers on contract terms after a long bargaining process. The Teamsters said they represent more than 500 locomotive engineers at the railroad and that those members have gone three years without raises. Industry and union reporting said a Presidential Emergency Board, a federal panel appointed during major rail labor disputes, recommended raises and retroactive pay while rejecting broad management work-rule changes. Those recommendations were nonbinding.

The timing is tied to the Railway Labor Act, the federal law that governs railroad and airline labor disputes and requires mediation and cooling-off periods before a legal strike can happen. The National Mediation Board released the parties from mediation in August 2025. After additional Presidential Emergency Board steps, the final cooling-off period expired around May 16, creating the legal path for a strike if no agreement was reached.

The stakes extend far beyond the bargaining table. The LIRR is the main commuter rail link between Long Island and New York City, and the MTA says it carries nearly 300,000 riders a day. In its advisory updated Friday, the MTA said it planned limited shuttle bus service for essential riders during peak hours and would consider prorated refunds for May monthly ticket holders, pending board approval. New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said Friday that an LIRR shutdown could cost up to $61 million a day in lost economic activity.

Union leaders blamed management for the breakdown. Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien said in the union’s release, “The LIRR owns this strike.” Mark Wallace, president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen and the Teamsters Rail Conference, said management had refused terms that government recommendations had backed.

Still, the status of any settlement remained unresolved early Saturday. Earlier in the week, MTA counsel Gary Dellaverson said there was still room for an agreement, telling local reporters that “there’s no reason why a deal can’t be reached.”