May 16, 2026, 12:52 AM

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Updated

MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber released the statement following strike announcement by the five LIRR unions:

"Obviously, this is not the result we were looking for. Like Governor Hochul said, everybody loses in a strike – the MTA, the thousands of workers who are going to lose wages, and most of all, the riders who rely on the railroad every day.

"But I – and this MTA Board – have been clear that we cannot responsibly make a deal that implodes MTA's budget. Under the Governor's leadership, we've fought too hard to get back on stable footing coming out of COVID.

"And we refuse to make a deal that puts it on riders and taxpayers to fund outsized wage increases – far beyond what anyone else at the MTA is getting – and for folks who are already the highest-paid railroad workers in the country.

"We cannot and will not do a deal that shifts huge costs to our riders by forcing fare hikes. And we can't expect taxpayers to foot a big new bill. They're already doing enough. It's no secret that the Long Island Rail Road is the most highly subsidized operation at the MTA.

"And I strongly believe that the LIRR is a great place to have a job. We have great health benefits, great retirement benefits, and pensions.

"And on top of all that, the unions have those outrageous work rules that allow these workers to pile up overtime, rules which they have refused to even discuss at the bargaining table.

"At the table this week – and especially today – we upped our proposals again and again, even as the other side reciprocated little or nothing.

"Our last offer literally gave them everything they said they wanted in terms of pay but they rejected even that.

"Then we offered to conclude a contract just on the three years where we agreed and to go into binding arbitration on the fourth. Still, it was rejected.

"For me, it's become apparent that these unions always intended to strike. Their strategy is to inconvenience Long Islanders and try to force the MTA and the State to do a bad deal.

"That is unacceptable to Governor Hochul, to the MTA Board, and to me, so here we are."