There’s finally relief for Long Island Rail Road riders after the MTA and five unions representing workers reached a deal Monday night to end the strike that shut down train service over the weekend and into Monday.
The agreement comes after days of negotiations and one difficult workday for thousands of commuters trying to get into and out of New York City without trains running.
LIRR officials say limited service is expected to return around noon Tuesday, with full service back in time for the evening rush.
Until then, riders are still being encouraged to work from home if possible and expect delays during the morning commute.
The strike involved about 3,500 workers and impacted roughly 250,000 daily riders who depend on the railroad to travel between Long Island and the city. Many commuters were forced to take shuttle buses, subways or drive instead.
Gov. Kathy Hochul says the deal gives workers fair pay while protecting riders from higher train fares or taxes.
Right now, many details of the agreement have not been released, including how much of a raise workers will receive. Union members still need to review and vote on the contract.
Still, both sides are calling the agreement fair.
“We have good news tonight. We are pleased to announce that both parties have reached an agreement,” Kevin Sexton of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen said.
MTA Chair Janno Lieber said negotiators were trying to find a deal that balanced fair pay for workers without putting more pressure on riders or the MTA’s budget.
The MTA also says riders who bought tickets during the strike but could not use them will be able to request refunds.
