PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — SEPTA and the Transport Workers Union will return to the bargaining table at 2 p.m. Monday, in an effort to head off a strike by city transit workers.
The pace of contract talks picked up last week after Transport Workers Union Local 234 members authorized a strike.
"I expected it, that once we got the authorization that they were going to just start moving along on some things,” said TWU President Will Vera.
Vera said when talks were last held on Thursday, he'd asked SEPTA for information on pensions and health care, and his first goal was improving working conditions. SEPTA General Manager Scott Sauer said both sides understand that SEPTA is working with two years of capital money to fund operations.
"Everybody knows this is just a two-year fix before we're back in Harrisburg again. So I think everybody's playing under the same assumptions. And that has made for, I think, an easier negotiation at this point."
Sauer said he's optimistic a deal can be reached.
"I do see urgency on both sides, because we want to get something done as well,” Vera said.