PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — SEPTA has reached a tentative contract agreement with its suburban operators, hours before a midnight contract deadline.
The agreement with SMART Local 1594 covers 360 workers who operate the Route 101 and 102 trolleys, the Norristown High-Speed Line, and 20 bus routes in Delaware County's Victory Division.
The deal was reached around 11 a.m. Thursday, a half-day before the contract expiration of 12:01 a.m. Friday.
Terms of the agreement are similar to the one reached last month with SEPTA's largest union, Transport Workers Local 234.
"It's a two-year contract. 3% raises in each of those two years. Also, a pandemic payment," SEPTA spokesman Andrew Busch told KYW Newsradio.
"A contract agreement was reached that we believe is fair to our employees and is also financially responsible to the authority."
Leaders of Local 1594 were concerned that members were being drafted to work overtime because of a driver shortage, and the union reportedly considered taking a strike authorization vote over the issue.
Busch said the two sides found middle ground.
"We've reached some language to compromise, to try to ease that burden a little bit on members," he said.
A union representative said a member ratification was being scheduled.
