Long Island Rail Road strike averted

Long Island Rail Road unions and officials with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority have reportedly come to tentative terms amid contract negotiations, averting a strike.

Leaders with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers informed its members on its website that “A strike has been averted! A tentative agreement has been reached.”

Gov. Andrew Cuomo tweeted that “we have settled a four-year dispute” between the MTA and LIRR.

“We have settled a four-year dispute” between @MTA and @LIRR to avert strike. Watch: http://t.co/vV7rQgdxWa #LIRR

— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) July 17, 2014

The governor, with union leaders beside him, announced the deal at a press conference Thursday at 1:15 p.m.

Hampton Jitney owner Geoff Lynch had planned on offering increased bus ridership for LIRR users if a strike occurred.

MTA officials said last year an average of 121 people ride the rails between Greenport and Ronkonkoma on any given weekday.