SEPTA police on strike after failed negotiations on new contract
PHILADELPHIA - SEPTA Transit Police voted to go on strike Wednesday after rejecting the latest contract offer from SEPTA officials.
Members of the Transit Police voted Wednesday between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., and reached a two-thirds majority to strike. The 178 member police officers’ union has been working without a contract since March, and paused negotiations for two weeks in November to audit SEPTA's contract offer.
The vote to strike comes after Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 109 Vice President Troy Parham said Tuesday that union reps were not satisfied with SEPTA's latest offer.
Members of SEPTA Transit Police Union on strike.
"We have made moves on both sides, they did make some moves, we don't think [SEPTA] made enough movement for us, the union has not endorsed this deal," Parham said Tuesday. "We're simply taking this deal to our members and letting them decide what they want and whatever decision they make we'll support that decision."
SEPTA is said to have sweetened their latest offer to include a $3K signing bonus for members and a 13 percent pay increase. The union, however, argued that the pay bump should be higher due to the length of time that passed since their last contract.
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SEPTA, the sixth-largest transportation network in the country, says it has a contingency plan in place to keep their riders safe. Spokesperson Andrew Busch said SEPTA's plan includes:
- Supervisory Transit Police will be working extended shifts to provide a steady presence at terminals, transfer points, hot spots, and transit corridors.
- Local law enforcement partners, including the Philadelphia Police Department, university police departments, and police in all counties in areas served by SEPTA, will assist with patrol checks, response to calls for service, priority response, K-9, and special equipment support.
- Logistical support and operational assistance from the Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management.
- Private security guards assigned to locations as needed, with a focus on the Market-Frankford and Broad Street Line.
Just minutes after the vote was announced, the first picket line was set up outside SEPTA Police headquarters. The first of the 40 SEPTA police supervisors not in the union and not on strike found themselves on duty, to begin to cover what the 178 street officers normally do, keeping bus and train riders safe.
"What about yourself, are you going to be going out, station to station?" asked FOX 29’s Steve Keeley.
"Yep, myself, my immediate command staff, every supervisor from sergeant to captain," replied SEPTA Police Chief Chuck Lawson. "It’s not gonna look much different. You’re gonna see police officers out there. A number of officers are gonna be out there in spots we need them the most."
The strike comes a day after a man was stabbed at 69th Street Transportation Center, underscoring SEPTA's ongoing battle with violent crime that has victimized both riders and employees. In the last two months alone, a SEPTA bus driver was shot to death while on the job and a security guard was slashed in the neck.