Overview
- The Long Island Rail Road, which halted after five unions walked out at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, suspended all train service systemwide.
- The shutdown disrupts roughly 300,000 daily riders as the MTA urges remote work and readies weekday shuttle buses to Queens subways with space for about 13,000 per commute.
- Regional losses are estimated at $61 million to $70 million each day if the stoppage continues.
- The impasse is over 2026 pay, with unions seeking a permanent 5% raise and the MTA offering 3% or a lump sum worth about 4.5%.
- Union leaders cited two federal panels that backed higher pay and said no new negotiations were scheduled Saturday.