"Please Work Remote": NYC Braces For Commuter Chaos With Ongoing LIRR Strike
Welcome to day three of the Long Island Rail Road strike, which is set to cause commuter chaos this morning in the New York City area, as more than 3,500 workers across five unions walked off the job Saturday after contract talks with the MTA collapsed.
Negotiations between the MTA and unions resumed Sunday and are set to continue Monday morning.
LIRR service remains suspended due to the strike. Please work from home if you can. If you must travel today, travel alternatives include:
— LIRR (@LIRR) May 18, 2026
• Limited shuttle bus service to/from six Long Island locations to Queens subway stations, for both the AM and PM rush hour.
• NICE Bus…
The MTA has urged riders to work remotely today and is deploying up to 275 free shuttle buses, though that capacity only covers a tiny fraction of the LIRR's nearly 300,000 weekday riders.
It seems that Socialist NYC Mayor Mandami finally got his promise of free buses, but at the cost of a strike and commuter chaos.
The disruption could also snarl travel to Long Island beach destinations over Memorial Day weekend, including the Hamptons.
Some employers, including JPMorgan and Citigroup, have advised affected workers to consider remote work this week.
The National Mediation Board, a federal agency that oversees labor disputes, summoned both sides late Sunday evening to continue negotiations, but no resolution was found. Talks are expected later today.
A spokesman for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters stated that their wage proposal was reasonable and that two federal review panels had sided with them.
"We remain ready to negotiate a fair agreement at any time and get back to work on behalf of Long Island commuters," the statement said.
The union wrote on X, "After more than three years with no raises, LIRR's union workers, including 500 Teamsters locomotive engineers, will not make any more sacrifices to cover for the MTA's mismanagement."
Rail Teamsters from the @BLET and their union coalition remain on strike at the MTA-owned Long Island Rail Road.
— Teamsters (@Teamsters) May 17, 2026
After more than three years with no raises, LIRR’s union workers, including 500 Teamsters locomotive engineers, will not make any more sacrifices to cover for the… pic.twitter.com/acb6jGY6Fj
What an absolute mess for commuters this morning.