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.
Union and MTA representatives announced the deal after negotiations resumed in the afternoon and continued into the night, ending the work stoppage that had halted service and caused widespread travel disruptions across Long Island and in New York City, including for commuters in Wantagh and Seaford who rely heavily on the Babylon Branch.
“We have good news tonight,” Kevin Sexton, vice president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen and 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.
The shutdown began after five railroad unions went on strike at 12:01 a.m. Saturday following the expiration of a federally mandated cooling-off period. The work stoppage led to widespread delays across Long Island, with shuttle buses operating on limited routes and commuters urged to work remotely where possible.
For many South Shore commuters, the strike highlighted how dependent communities like Wantagh and Seaford are on the Long Island Rail Road for access to jobs in New York City and Queens.
“Tuesday I can work from home, but not after that,” Wantagh commuter Joann Pizzaia said earlier during the strike. “I’m trying to figure out how to get to Queens to get a subway.”
Pizzaia, who said she relies on the LIRR five days a week, estimated her commute could increase by as much as two hours without train service. She also criticized the lack of shuttle bus access along the Babylon Branch.
“There are no buses on the South Shore for some of the busiest areas from Bellmore and Wantagh through Babylon,” she said. “Where are we going to park?”
Wantagh resident Tara McDevitt Schwartz said the strike added to frustrations many riders already have regarding service reliability and fare increases.
“The jump in ticket prices in the last three years is ridiculous,” Schwartz said. “These people are already the highest paid in the country.”
Schwartz, who commutes from Wantagh to Grand Central several days each week, also pointed to existing service concerns that predated the strike.
“It’s already a joke that there is no direct train from Wantagh to Grand Central between 8:09 and 9:41,” she said. “Trains are always late. I have the ability to work from home if necessary, but many people do not.”
Another local resident said the strike reflected broader frustration among some riders over fares and service disruptions.
“I don’t take the train so it doesn’t affect me,” the resident said, “but I feel as if the LIRR is good for two things in the last few years: raising rates on commuters and going on strike, which will most likely add to a future increase.”
Sexton also said that tensions 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 the contingency bus service operating 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.
“At a time when everything is going up, I’m not going to allow taxes or fares to go up,” Hochul said. “Period. Full stop. Got it done.”
Officials said 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.
