by KYW's Steve Tawa
Septa increased patrols after recent violence on city subways (see related story), but those transit cops are ready to go on strike on Thursday afternoon at 2pm, unless Septa agrees to binding arbitration in their long-running contract dispute (see previous story).
Fraternal Order of Transit Police president Richard Neal says his 200 officers don't want to put the public in harm's way, and binding arbitration is a way for both sides to compromise:
"Officers know these tunnels. They know these tracks and the people that ride this system. Our officers are out there to protect these people."
Union attorneys are filing court papers to try to force Septa into binding arbitration.
Septa says its contingency plans center on using Philadelphia police, as well as Temple, Penn and Amtrak police, along the Broad Street and Market-Frankford lines. Spokesman Richard Maloney (file photo at right) says Septa previously accepted a state fact finder's recommendations but the union rejected them:
"It's high time for the union leadership to take control, and settle this contract. It can be accomplished without a strike."
Unlike Philadelphia police, transit police officers are not prohibited by law from striking.
See related story
E-Mail Story
Print Story
