SEPTA strike: Officials struggle with negotiations as officers stand on picket line
CENTER CITY - It was business as usual for the SEPTA stations around Philadelphia. The only difference, the SEPTA police force who usually protects the stations, were instead holding signs demanding a better contract with SEPTA.
"We are out here because of them. They know what it would have taken from keeping us from being out here and they just refused to do it," says Troy Parham, the V.P. of Fraternal Order of Transit Police.
As negotiation talks resumed inside SEPTA headquarters Thursday afternoon, officers on strike lined the front of the building on 1234 Market Street.
A protest with very few words but still a powerful message.
"We want a fair contract and this is where we’ll be until we get one," says Parham.
Meanwhile, SEPTA officials say they have initiated a contingency plan to help temporarily replace the 178 SEPTA officers on strike.
Officers from the Philadelphia police department, Temple University security, University of Pennsylvania security and a number of other agencies adding SEPTA patrol duties to their set of tasks, in order to protect commuters.
SEPTA police on strike after failed negotiations on new contract
SEPTA Transit Police voted to go on strike Wednesday after rejecting the latest contract offer from SEPTA officials.
"The morning commute went smoothly today. All of our focus is on that, making sure that they are safe. They are going to see officers that have the ability to quickly respond when things come up. In the meantime, we would want them to know the talks are ongoing," says Andrew Busch the Director of Media Relations for SEPTA.
"The contingency plan should be to get us back to work," says Parham.
Throughout the day SEPTA and FOTP officials have been trying to reach an agreement.
"We are going to have a negotiating session with the FOTP, the state mediator is a part of that too so, we are hoping that can hopefully move things forward. We are going into that optimistic so that we can figure out a way to bridge the gap," says Busch.
According to Parham, those talks this afternoon have not gone smoothly.
"They went worse than even giving us the same deal, they went backwards, they just offered us a worse deal then the one that we are out here on strike for," says Parham.
Which is why on numerous occasions, Parham was outside with his fellow officers instead of inside negotiating.
"This is my second time. The first time I completely walked out, I walked out of the meeting. That’s how insulted and disrespected I felt. This is ridiculous. This may be a long one, people better get ready. I feel so bad for the public. This is irresponsible to the people who they say they care about their safety, they are certainly not demonstrating that," says Parham.
Parham said they were fine with some of the recent contract offers presented in regard to benefits and wages, but their concern was the length of the contract.
Which appears, after Thursday’s negotiations, they are back to square one.