Thursday, October 1, 2026
The three-day Long Island Rail Road strike ended late Monday after five unions and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority reached a tentative agreement following several days of negotiations, officials announced at an evening news conference.
The strike had forced many Elmont and Franklin Square commuters to rethink how they get to and from their jobs, with residents scrambling to weigh remote work, carpooling and other alternatives.
Elmont commuter Mickhelia Jasmin-Bearmon, who commutes to Manhattan, said the shutdown created uncertainty and stress, and complicated her plans for the week.
Before the strike ended, William Miller, of Franklin Square, a paramedic who works in Manhattan, was commuting to work Monday afternoon when he spoke with the Herald. Miller said he noticed changes in traffic patterns. “It’s always bad on the Cross Island Expressway, but it’s even worse now,” he said. “More people are on the road, and there are nervous drivers and drivers that brake-check.”
After the strike ended, Miller said he was looking forward to more normal traffic patterns.
Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages said Monday night that she was grateful that the strike had come to an end, and praised both sides for remaining at the negotiating table and reaching an agreement that restored service and prevented further disruptions across the region. She also thanked riders for their patience, and commended LIRR employees for their continued work.
Union and MTA representatives announced the deal after negotiations resumed on Monday afternoon and continued into the night. “We have good news tonight,” Kevin Sexton, vice president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen and the spokesman for the Long Island Railroad Bargaining Coalition, said. “We’re pleased to announce that the parties have reached an agreement.”
Sexton said that details of the agreement would not be released immediately, citing the need for member review ahead of ratification votes. However, public radio station WYNC reported that the four-year deal includes retroactive pay and expires in July 2027.
“Due to the nature of the negotiations, we cannot discuss the specifics,” he said. “What I can say is we are looking forward to our members getting back to work and doing what they do best, which is serving the region.”
He added that any premature disclosure of details could complicate ratification.
“We don’t want to fail ratification,” Sexton said. “If they get part of this story through the media, it may impact their decision.”
The agreement is subject to a 30-day period in which union members will review and vote on the tentative deal before it becomes official.
Sexton said that tension had escalated late in the negotiations on Friday night, when the MTA introduced proposed health care contributions for newly hired employees, an issue he said had not previously been part of bargaining discussions.
Gov. Kathy Hochul said the agreement was reached after continued bargaining focused on balancing worker pay with affordability for commuters and taxpayers.
“I’m truly pleased to share that the five Long Island Rail Road unions and the MTA were able to come together and reach a fair deal this evening,” Hochul said. “The contract achieved two principles: protecting affordability for Long Islanders and commuters while giving fair wages to the employees.”
Officials said that the LIRR would begin restoring service in phases starting Tuesday at noon, with limited hourly service on four main branches, before expanding systemwide service later in the day. The MTA said that the contingency bus service that operated during the shutdown would continue Tuesday morning before being phased out as train service ramped up.
Hochul said that roughly 3,500 LIRR employees would receive raises under the agreement, while fare and tax increases would not be part of the deal. “I also did not accept a deal for compromise affordability for Long Islanders,” she said. “At a time when everything is going up, I’m not going to allow taxes or fares to go up. Period. Full stop. Got it done.”
Officials said that additional details on full system restoration were expected as crews completed inspections, repositioned equipment and returned employees to scheduled assignments.
It was the first Long Island Rail Road strike since June 17, 1994. That strike lasted two days before a contract settlement was reached.
