MTA Chairman Janno Lieber said LIRR "gave the union everything they said they wanted in terms of pay," and that to him it was apparent the unions always intended to walk out.

A New York-area train system with 250,000 daily commuters is facing a shutdown if it cannot reach a deal with unionized workers to avert a strike.

The strike stems from an inability to reach a deal on a new four-year contract. The MTA and unions agreed to the terms of the first three years, but disputes arose about the final…