LIRR Strike Ends as Deal Reached Ahead of Memorial Day Weekend; Hamptons Service to Resume Tuesday

Gov. Kathy Hochul says phased Long Island Rail Road service will restart at noon Tuesday after a last-minute agreement ends the first LIRR strike in more than 30 years — just in time for Memorial Day travel to the Hamptons.

By Spark Hamptons Staff

A last-minute deal has ended the historic Long Island Rail Road strike, clearing the way for service to resume Tuesday and easing fears of major travel disruptions ahead of Memorial Day weekend in the Hamptons.

Gov. Kathy Hochul in the MTA Situation room during the three-day strike. @govkathyhochul

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Monday night that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and five LIRR unions had reached an agreement to end the three-day work stoppage — the railroad’s first strike since 1994.

“Tonight, the MTA reached a fair deal with the five LIRR unions that delivers raises for workers while protecting riders and taxpayers,” Hochul posted on X shortly before 9 p.m. “I’m pleased to announce that phased LIRR service will resume beginning tomorrow at noon.” — Gov. Kathy Hochul

Montauk train station. The MTA LIRR strike is the first in over 30 years.

Three-year Labor Dispute Resolved

Details of the contract were not immediately released, but the agreement resolves a three-year labor dispute involving roughly 3,500 workers, including locomotive engineers, machinists and signal employees.

The strike began early Saturday after negotiations over wages and benefits broke down. Union workers had sought retroactive raises dating back to 2022, along with a larger salary increase for 2026 than the MTA had offered other labor groups.

Strike Shut Down Busiest Commuter Rail Service & 270,000 Daily Riders

The shutdown halted the nation’s busiest commuter rail service, stranding an average of 270,000 daily riders and forcing travelers to seek alternate routes between Long Island and New York City, including shuttle buses and subway connections.

For East End residents, second-home owners and Memorial Day travelers planning trips to the Hamptons, the timing raised concerns about one of the busiest getaway weekends of the year.

Hampton Bays train station.

Expect Delays on Tuesday

Even with a deal reached, transit officials cautioned that Tuesday morning commuters should expect delays as crews reposition the LIRR’s fleet of roughly 1,300 trains and gradually restore normal operations.

Hochul said service will resume in phases beginning at noon Tuesday.

The strike’s economic impact was expected to cost the region as much as $61 million per day, according to the state comptroller’s office.

The labor standoff also sparked political finger-pointing between Hochul and the White House over federal mediation decisions that cleared the path for a walkout.

For now, however, the agreement means Long Island — and the Hamptons — should be back on track before the unofficial start of summer

Angela LaGreca

Editor, Co-Founder/Publisher

Angela LaGreca, Editor-in-chief and co-Founder/Publisher of Spark Hamptons, is a four-time Emmy Award-winning journalist, producer, writer and comedian/host. Her TV credits include NBC’s “Today,” ABC’s “The View,” and, most recently, the primetime cable news program “Cuomo” on NewsNation. On the East End, she was the Creative Director at LTV, VP Features/Events/Photo Editor at Dan’s Papers, and has performed at Guild Hall, Bay Street Theater and the WHBPAC. Her publishing career began at Modern Photography, where she was managing editor. LaGreca lives in Manhattan and East Hampton and can be reached at angelatvmedia@gmail.com and angela@sparkhamptons.com .