TWU on strike amid SEPTA contract dispute

SEPTA

The Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 234 has about 5,000 workers on strike today following the expiration of the union’s contract with Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), a regional public transportation authority serving the greater Philadelphia area, at 12:01 a.m.  

The strike comes after TWU Local 234 issued a statement Oct. 29 suggesting that SEPTA officials had refused to address “important non-economic issues.” The union also said it felt SEPTA was declining to offer a reasonable economic package.

“The chances of a strike at 12:01 a.m., Nov. 1 increased significantly today,” the union stated in its Oct. 29 release. “Last night, a well-attended meeting of ‘Solid 234’ union activists stepped up the local’s strike preparations. Today, the leadership met with politicians at every level of government in the hope that progressive-minded political leaders will press the Republicans in control of the SEPTA board to come to their senses, particularly Pat Deon, the strike happy chairman of the SEPTA board.”

In response to the strike, SEPTA said negotiators had worked for months to reach a fair contract with TWU Local 234 and avoid disrupting service. “Unfortunately, the union’s leaders tonight elected to take the members who work in the city transit division out on strike,” the statement read.

“The decision by TWU President Willie Brown leaves thousands of SEPTA customers without the transit services they rely on for travel to and from work, school and medical appointments. In doing so, Mr. Brown walked away from a contract offer that would have provided his members pay raises, enhanced pension benefits, maintained health care coverage levels and continued job security, while also remaining fair and affordable for the taxpayers and riders who fund SEPTA,” the transportation authority stated.

SEPTA noted that its negotiators “stand ready and willing” to continue bargaining, adding that the authority encourages Brown and TWU leaders to continue bargaining to establish an agreement that will allow for service to resume.

“We are hopeful that a tentative agreement will be reached before Election Day,” the authority added. If we foresee an agreement will not come to pass, SEPTA intends to seek to enjoin the strike for Nov. 8 to ensure that the strike does not prevent any voters from getting to the polls and exercising their right to vote.”

SEPTA issued a statement prior to the start of the strike urging customers to prepare for the possibility of service disruptions, encouraging regular passengers to consider using any regional transit options available to them if a strike took place.

SEPTA also posted a Service Interruption Guide online here.