Updated: Dec. 17, 10 a.m.
PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — SEPTA and its transit police reached a tentative agreement late Saturday afternoon, promptly ending a three-day strike. Officers were back on their patrols Saturday night.
More than 170 officers had walked off the job Wednesday night following the union’s vote to strike down their contract offer asking for a wage increase, signing bonus, and retention bonus for retirement-eligible officers.
The union reportedly won a 13% raise for its officers, and it will come faster than previously thought. Negotiators were able to get the raise phased in over three years instead of three and a half.
The union did give up a $3,000 signing bonus when it initiated its strike on Wednesday night.
SEPTA Board Chairman Pasquale T. Deon Sr. called the agreement “fair to our hard-working police officers and financially responsible for SEPTA.”
In separate statements, SEPTA CEO Leslie Richards and Transit Police Union President Omari Bervine gave credit to Gov. Josh Shapiro, who is said to have played a major part in bringing the two sides to an agreement.
While the deal ends the strike, it is tentative. The agreement now heads to Fraternal Order of Transit Police membership and the SEPTA Board for approval.