Overview

• All five unions in the LIRR Bargaining Committee have now voted to authorize a strike that could begin at 12:01 a.m. Thursday, potentially halting service for roughly 270,000 to 300,000 daily riders.
• The coalition is seeking pay hikes reported at about 15% to 16% over three years, while other LIRR workers represented by SMART accepted roughly 9.5% to 9.8%; union leaders note members have not had raises since 2022.
• Federal mediation ended last month, triggering a 30‑day cooling‑off period; Gov. Kathy Hochul blamed the Trump administration’s National Mediation Board for ending talks, a characterization the unions dispute.
• Hochul has the option to request a Presidential Emergency Board, and commentary has urged using state strike‑ban and arbitration avenues, but no federal board has been requested and the standoff remains unresolved.
• The MTA warns alternatives will be limited, with weekday shuttle buses linking Bellmore to the A at Howard Beach and Hicksville and Ronkonkoma to the 7 at Mets–Willets Point, and it plans prorated refunds for monthly pass holders pending board approval; Ryder Cup organizers and local businesses are bracing for transport disruptions.