Transit authority, unions agree to resume talks as NY commuter rail strike deadline looms

The New York City transit authority and unions are set to resume talks aimed at averting a weekend strike at the nation's largest commuter railroad.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is the parent organization of the Long Island Rail Road. It said in a statement Wednesday morning that it was inviting the unions to resume talks.

Christopher Natale (nuh-TAL'-ee) represents one of the unions. He says his negotiators have accepted the offer.

Natale says he had no information on when or where the talks might take place.

After days of avoiding the fray, Gov. Andrew Cuomo urged both sides Wednesday to restart the talks.

The unions have threatened a strike at 12:01 a.m. Sunday unless they get a new contract.

The railroad has nearly 300,000 daily riders.