Strike looming at LIRR, unions and MTA in negotiations

[Editor's note: This article has been updated to correct the name of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.]

Labor contract talks are ongoing today between the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and leaders from a five-union coalition representing about 3,500 MTA Long Island Rail Road employees. If a contract deal is not reached, the unions might launch a strike at 12:01 a.m. on May 16. 

The unions are collectively asking for wage improvements that keep pace with the cost of living on Long Island. On May 8, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) National President Mark Wallace authorized a strike if the MTA and unions don't reach an agreement, according to a BLET press release.

The strike would impact nearly 300,000 daily LIRR passengers, MTA officials said in a separate release. The MTA expects to continue negotiations with the unions, but encouraged riders to be prepared to find alternative transportation. The dispute between the unions and the MTA has been ongoing; the unions threatened a strike over the same contract in September 2025. 

In addition to the BLET, the other four unions in the coalition are the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the Transportation Communications Union.