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Trains rolled again on the Long Island Rail Road on Tuesday after a deal was reached to end a strike that had shut down the busiest U.S. commuter rail system, according to the Associated Press. The first departures left New York City’s two main rail hubs—Penn Station and Grand Central Terminal—shortly after noon, with full service planned in time for the evening rush home.
For riders, the resumption brought relief alongside lingering frustration about how long the shutdown lasted and what it meant for their routines. Michele Forrester, who uses the LIRR to get to a job at a grocery on Long Island, said she felt the walkout should not have happened in the first place, adding that “with how much they make, it feels like other people are struggling to get by, and they’re talking about getting more money.”
Others framed the strike as a reminder that transit workers remain essential to how the city functions. Nya Archie, a Queens filmmaker heading to Manhattan, said the shutdown was an important reminder that working people are still vital to making New York possible.
Labor union leaders began briefing rank-and-file members about the contract terms after the deal, and voting was expected to take place over the coming days under each union’s ratification process, according to Jamie Horwitz, a spokesperson for the five unions. Gov. Kathy Hochul and railroad officials declined to disclose the details of the new contract terms until union members approve them.
The strike that ended Tuesday began at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, when five labor unions representing about half of the train system’s workforce walked out and halted service for roughly 250,000 commuters who rely on the rail line each weekday to reach jobs in New York City and homes in its eastern suburbs. Earlier in the week, Monday morning commuters had faced another difficult rush hour after the agreement was reached late Monday, with trains not ready for service in time for commuting into work.
During the shutdown, the LIRR urged riders to work from home again Tuesday and offered shuttle buses from some Long Island locations to subway stations in New York City. Hallie Kessler, a 24-year-old speech therapist in Queens, said the stop in service made for a grueling commute during the strike, describing how she spent three hours traveling home from her public school job on Monday.
Kessler welcomed the end of the shutdown but said she would be watching for what the deal means going forward, including its implications for fares. “Curious what the deal says about future fares, which has been a big concern, but we’ll see,” she said.
Hochul and railroad officials said the deal would not increase fares or taxes, while postponing public disclosure of the contract language until ratification. LIRR President Robert Free told reporters shortly before the first trains departed Tuesday that the parties “found another way” to make the numbers work, saying there were “things in there that make it more affordable, make it more palatable for the unions to agree upon, and make it easier for us to fit within our financial structure.”
The walkout’s early impacts extended beyond commuting. Over the weekend, baseball fans looking to reach Citi Field in Queens had to find other transportation options after LIRR service was suspended, and Hochul said the deal would help avoid similar disruptions for the Knicks’ playoff game at Madison Square Garden, which sits above Penn Station in Manhattan.
The AP report said the unions and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority had been negotiating a new contract since 2023, but talks had stalled over issues that included salaries and healthcare. The unions said raises were needed to help workers keep up with inflation and the rising cost of living in the New York City area, while the MTA said the unions’ initial demands would lead to fare increases and set a difficult precedent for future negotiations with other transit unions.