SEPTA's police union pauses strike plans to mull over latest contract proposal

PHILADELPHIA - The union representing SEPTA's transit police will pause its plans to strike and take more than two weeks to mull over the latest contract proposal from SEPTA. 

The Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 109 said nearly 200 SEPTA officers have been working without a contract since March, despite months of negotiations. 

SEPTA is the sixth-largest transportation network in the country, relied on by close to 4,000 people daily to move around the city and beyond. 

Negotiations intensified when the union threatened to walk off the job on Monday, prompting SEPTA to propose a contract that the FOP said "fell short."

SEPTA had offered the union a 3-year deal with a 13 percent pay hike over the life of the contract. SEPTA also offered a $3,000 signing bonus if there was no strike. The union argued the length of the contract was 43 months since they are asking for a straight 36-month deal.

It's unknown what adjustments, if any, were included in the following counter-proposals between SEPTA and the union. During the pause, the union said its economist will prepare an "Ability-to-Pay" study which will consider SEPTA's finances and their most recent proposal, and compare that to a recent contract agreement SEPTA reached with the Transit Workers Union.

"We certainly hope that Ms. Richards and her team, after seeing the analysis, will honor their promise of pattern bargaining, improve their offer and bring us up to parity," FOTP President Omari Bervine said in a press release. 

The union plans to meet Dec. 13 to vote on whether to accept SEPTA's latest contract proposal or immediately walk off the job.