Last update: Nov. 12, 3:40 p.m.
PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — There’s still no deal between SEPTA and its largest workers' union, and those workers have still not walked off the job. Negotiations wrapped up Tuesday, five days after the contract expired for Transport Workers Union Local 234, which represents 5,000 drivers, cashiers and maintenance workers.
All operations continue to run as normal, but Local 234 president Brian Pollitt promises his workers will hit the picket line if SEPTA doesn’t meet demands for a wage increase and new safety protections, such as ballistic shields for bus drivers.
SEPTA has said it is willing to offer a wage increase in the new contract, but the transit agency says it’s tough to find money for raises without dedicated funding from the state. Lawmakers in Harrisburg approved only a portion of the transit plan outlined in Gov. Josh Shapiro's budget.
“We want to pay our employees fairly. We want to deliver service to our customers. But we can’t do that without a funding solution,” said Chief Operating Officer Scott Sauer.
SEPTA has proposed two steep fare increases and deep service cuts to partially fill a $153 million budget gap.
“Even with the fare increases and service cuts, it’s going to be a very difficult process to reach some resolution on that,” he said.
Original article follows:
PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — SEPTA’s 5,000 drivers, cashiers and maintenance workers are still on the job despite their contract expiring Thursday night. But after a Friday bargaining session in Old City, there is still no new contract.
Transport Workers Union Local 234 says it’s holding off on a strike because some progress has been made in negotiations. Before Thursday, SEPTA had been offering a one-year contract with no raises. SEPTA spokesman Andrew Busch says the transit agency has made some movement on that issue.
“We certainly want a contract that is fair to our employees and that would include wage increases,” said Busch, “so we’re doing everything we can to try to get a proposal on the table that both sides can agree to.”
With no transit funding plan from the state, Busch says SEPTA still faces a $240 million budget deficit and that dipping into its reserves to pay for recurring raises isn’t sustainable. Local 234 president Brian Pollitt acknowledged some progress in a statement, but said if SEPTA doesn’t meet the union’s demands for raises and safety, his union will hit the picket line.
The city’s blue-collar workers union, District Council 33, is also working without a new contract and has talked with Local 234 about a possible joint strike.
“If we went out with our brothers and sisters from DC 33, it would not only shut the SEPTA system down, it would shut the city down as well,” Pollitt said Thursday, adding it was too early to talk about it.
“We’ll answer that question at a later time,” he said, “but I’m ready to get to the table and get a deal to avoid a strike.”
Talks between SEPTA and Local 234 will resume Sunday morning.