North America’s largest commuter rail system shuts down as unions launch strike

North America’s largest commuter rail system, the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), shut down early Saturday after five unions representing nearly half of its workforce went on strike across the New York City area, according to media reports.

The Washington Times reported that the strike followed months of deadlocked contract negotiations over wages and healthcare premiums, despite mediation efforts by the administration of Donald Trump.

Union leaders said no new talks were scheduled, according to the daily.

“We’re far apart at this point,” Kevin Sexton, national vice president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, said. “We are truly sorry that we are in this situation.”

Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Chairman Janno Lieber accused unions of planning the walkout regardless of concessions, saying the agency “gave the union everything they said they wanted in terms of pay.”

The shutdown is expected to disrupt roughly 250,000 daily commuters traveling between Long Island and New York City, while also affecting access to weekend sporting events involving the New York Yankees, New York Mets, and New York Knicks.

Picketing worker Duane O’Connor defended the strike, saying: “All we are asking for is fair wages. Record inflation the last few years.”