The Long Island Rail Road was facing a possible full shutdown at midnight as negotiations between the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and several rail unions went down to the wire Friday. Five unions representing roughly half of the LIRR workforce threatened to strike if a contract agreement was not reached before the deadline.

The main dispute centers on wages and work rules. Union leaders are seeking higher raises to keep pace with inflation, while the MTA argues the demands could force fare hikes or service cuts elsewhere in the transit system. Gov. Kathy Hochul urged commuters to prepare for disruptions and suggested many Long Islanders may need to work from home if service shuts down.

The MTA warned that if a strike occurs:

• LIRR service would completely stop
• Nearly 300,000 daily riders would be affected
• Limited shuttle buses would only serve essential workers
• Major traffic congestion across Long Island and New York City would likely follow

Officials said negotiations were continuing Friday in hopes of avoiding the first major LIRR strike in decades.