A looming strike by five Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) unions, which had been set to begin this week, has been temporarily averted. Commuters can breathe a sigh of relief as union leaders announced they would seek the involvement of a Presidential Emergency Board (PEB), a process that automatically delays a strike and facilitates mediation and cooling-off periods. This intervention, requested from the Trump administration according to the unions, means a potential strike is delayed for at least several months, possibly until the spring or even into 2026.

The current dispute stems from contract negotiations where five holdout unions – the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Transportation Communications Union, and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers – have rejected a three-year contract deal that included a 9.54% raise over three years, already accepted by several other LIRR unions. These five unions, representing about half of LIRR workers, are instead demanding a fourth year with an additional 6.5% raise. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has stated it would consider further wage increases only if they are accompanied by the elimination of costly and antiquated work rules, such as one that grants locomotive engineers an extra day's pay for merely flipping a switch. So far, the unions have refused to concede on these work rule changes.

Upon request from either party in a commuter railway labor dispute, or from a governor, the Railway Labor Act obligates the president to create an emergency board. This board will investigate and report on the dispute, issuing non-binding recommendations. Additional public hearings and federally mandated cooling-off periods could further extend the delay. While the White House's involvement brings federal mediators, the ultimate decision-making power remains with Governor Kathy Hochul, the MTA, and the unions. Governor Hochul has supported the MTA's stance, urging them to prioritize taxpayers and push for a swift resolution. She is encouraged to continue this approach to avoid prolonged negotiations, especially as they could extend into her 2026 election year.

In the event a strike does eventually occur, the impact on Long Island commuters and New York City traffic would be severe. The LIRR's contingency plans, involving buses from a limited number of stations into Queens for subway connections, would likely handle only a small fraction of the LIRR's average daily ridership of over 260,000. Experts predict