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SEPTA, union continue contract talks while parents, Philly schools scramble to find alternatives
Many students in Philly schools rely on SEPTA to get them back and forth, along with commuters, who are all waiting for SEPTA and its' largest union to reach an agreement on contract talks.
PHILADELPHIA - SEPTA and union workers are negotiating, and the two sides are reporting there will be no strike at midnight, due to progress made in negotiations.
By 10 p.m. Thursday, talks were said to have been positive and the two sides had made, according to Transport Workers Union Local 234 President, Brian Pollitt, in a statement made to the union, "We have made progress in round-the-clock negotiations."
SEPTA then released their own statement, saying:
"SEPTA and TWU Local 234 will continue negotiations on a new contract tomorrow, Friday, Nov. 8. In the meantime, there will not be a strike by City Transit Division employees when their current contract expires at midnight, so all SEPTA services will continue to operate on normal schedules."
Meanwhile, parents were very concerned about how a possible strike could affect their kids. Marlene Idopcil said, "They all catch the bus, unfortunately. Mommy can’t drive everybody to school."
She said her four children rely on SEPTA to get to school in Center City, North Philly and in the Northeast.
Since June, Transport Workers Union Local 234 has been in contract negotiations with SEPTA for higher wages and safety on the job. It’s the largest union at SEPTA with 5,000 members representing operators of city buses, trolleys, the Market-Frankford Line and Broad Street Line.
SEPTA faces strike of largest union while contract negotiations continue
More than 5,000 workers of Transport Workers Union Local 234 are preparing for a possible strike. Members are seeking a fair contract with safety and security for both passengers and transit workers.
A strike would impact all of those services.
Union leaders are proposing a one-year deal with a 10 percent wage increase, but SEPTA says it’s facing a significant financial crisis.
SEPTA spokesperson, Andrew Busch, explained, "We’re looking at about a quarter billion dollar budget deficit and that’s about 20 percent of all of our expenses for the year and that’s what goes into running the system every day."
Pollitt, remarked, "It’s funny how SEPTA will tell you about the fiscal cliff and $200 million worth of shortfall, but what they don’t tell you is the $600 million in a rainy day fund. We’re not asking for $600 million, but we’re asking for a little bit."