Several Long Island Rail Road unions are considering a strike that, if approved, could shut down the entire system as early as next Thursday.

Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials called the possible strike "devastating" for the 300,000 people who ride the Long Island Rail Road each day. The unions at the center of the negotiations said they're only asking for fair wages.

Labor negotiations that could force a strike center around pay for employees.

The MTA said it has "bargained in good faith with the unions representing LIRR employees." However, transit officials said several unions rejected a contract that offered a 9.5% wage increase over three years.

Half of the LIRR workforce has accepted this deal, which would ensure they remain the highest-paid railroad employees in the country, according to MTA officials.

Union officials who represent the remaining 45% of workers said their demands are "not extravagant." Their position is that they're asking for salaries to keep up with the surrounding economy and the skyrocketing cost of living due to increasing rent, groceries, childcare and utilities due to inflation.

The MTA warns that a strike would shut down the entire Long Island Rail Road system for as long as negotiations linger.

They're asking commuters to prepare now for substantial changes if this happens.

First, the agency is asking for anyone who can work from home to do so.

If that's not possible, the MTA will provide limited shuttle bus service on weekdays for essential workers and those who cannot telecommute. Buses will run every 10 minutes during peak hours toward Manhattan from 4:30 to 9 a.m. and to Long Island from 3 to 7 p.m. from three LIRR stations to subway transfer points in Queens.

This includes the Bellmore Station to Howard Beach-JFK Airport to the A, the Hicksville Station to Mets-Willets Point to the 7 and the Ronkonkoma Station to Mets-Willets Point to the 7.

Commuters in Nassau County could also take the NICE bus to either the 7 at Flushing-Main Street or the Jamaica Bus Terminal, which is a short walk from the F at 169 St.

The MTA said it intends to issue prorated refunds to September monthly ticket holders for any business day that service is suspended due to the strike, pending board approval.

The unions have come out blasting the MTA and Gov. Kathy Hochul.

In total, five unions have still not reached an agreement.

The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen said in a memo to its members, "The nearly six hundred locomotive engineers employed by LIRR have been without a pay raise for over three years, the last coming on April 16, 2022. The contract dispute has been in National Mediation Board-sponsored mediation since February 2024."

The Transportation Communications Union and International Association of Machinists fired back after the MTA held a press conference yesterday.

TCU/IAM National President Artie Maratea wrote in a statement: "We are not asking for special treatment. We are asking for fairness, safety, and a contract that reflects the essential role these workers play in this region. Gov. Hochul, please stop the political games and mudslinging, and come to the table ready to bargain honestly."

News 12 reached out to the Brotherhood of Railway Signalmen and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers for comment early this morning, but has not yet received a response.

In a letter to Rep. Andrew Garbarino and Rep. Nick LaLota, Gov. Kathy Hochul expressed her "serious concern" regarding the ongoing labor disputes between the LIRR and five unions.

She wrote in part: "I have always supported labor, but these demands divide workers and force riders to bear the financial burden."