LIRR could reopen day after deal is reached: MTA chair

The Long Island Rail Road strike stretched into a third day Monday, but the head of the MTA said service could resume as soon as a day after a deal is reached.

Speaking with “Mornings On 1,” MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said overnight talks made some progress after negotiators returned to the bargaining table.

What You Need To Know

The Long Island Rail Road strike stretched into a third day Monday

Speaking with “Mornings On 1,” MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said service could resume as soon as a day after a deal is reached

Lieber said overnight talks made some progress after negotiators returned to the bargaining table Sunday

“We’re back at the table this morning,” he said. “I would say we’re cautiously optimistic that we can drag it over the finish line in some reasonable time frame.”

Bargaining between union representatives and the MTA lasted until nearly 2 a.m. Monday after a push from the National Mediation Board and Gov. Kathy Hochul restarted talks. Both sides agreed to resume discussions just hours later.

Lieber defended the MTA’s position in negotiations, saying the agency does not want to offer workers more than other MTA unions have already accepted.

“We’ve made it clear to the public that one of the reasons that the MTA, led by Governor Hochul, has pushed back in this whole episode is these are the best paid workers, they have great benefits, especially they have rich pensions, which folks in the real world, in the private sector rarely get,” Lieber said. “And we don’t want to give them more than all the other MTA unions have already agreed to.”

Lieber also spoke about how quickly service could return once a deal is finalized, saying crews have been preparing for a rapid restart of operations.

“We’ve been planning that intensely since the onset of the strike,” he said. “It’ll take a little time for people and equipment to get where they need to go.”

Lieber said federally required inspections must also be completed before trains can return to service.

“But whenever we get the deal done, we think that more or less, the next day is the day where we can run the Long Island Rail Road system properly,” he said. “And we’re trying to be ready for that scenario.”

Tap the video player above to watch the full interview.