Still No Septa Contract But Also Fading Threat of a Strike

KYW Newsradio Team Coverage

Negotiators for Septa and its largest labor union were scheduled to be back at the table at 10am on Monday in hopes of ironing out a deal.  

KYW's Jim Melwert reports both sides were optimistic a deal could be reached. Transport Workers Union Local 234 president Willie Brown:

"I would say we're very, very, very close."

Septa officials say most of the difficult issues have been resolved. 

Governor Ed Rendell also having a hand in the negotiations, telling both sides on Saturday that if they didn't stay at the table they'd risk losing state funding for mass transit:

"We're on the verge of having a contract that will be good for the union membership and also good for the riding public."

The union represents bus, trolley, and subway operators.

KYW's David Madden reports that with the intervention of Governor Rendell, Mayor Nutter, and others, Septa's unionized transit workers agreed not to strike this past weekend. 

Negotiations between Septa and the Transit Workers Union continued for most of the day on Saturday.

Governor Rendell was playing referee between the transit agency and the TWU, and it’s clear he’s playing hardball:

“If either side leaves the bargaining table, there will be significant consequences in terms of losing the Commonwealth’s support for the things that are necessary for us to keep making progress in mass transit.”

Translation:  if you need more money, work with me here.

Rendell says there’s been “substantial progress” in dealing with the key issues in the dispute -- wages, pensions, and health care. And both sides remain optimistic they’ll get a deal done. The only question is when.

KYW's Hadas Kuznits reports that Septa riders should have no fear, at least according to Mayor Nutter: 

“The negotiations will reach a conclusion without disruption of service.”

Philadelphia mayor Michael Nutter says Septa and the Transport Workers Union have made a great deal of progress in their quest for a contract, and they are committed to staying at the negotiating table:

“On behalf of the city, we can not continue to operate under hourly or daily deadlines. What is important here is that there is a sense of security and regularity to all the service. With the governor’s insistence that both sides come to the table, what this actually means for the city is negotiations will continue, the governor will remain directly involved, I will, along with Congressman Brady and others. But, the issue with regard to any kind of strike is off the table.”

KYW's Steve Tawa reports that as the strike deadline set by union workers came and went at midnight on Saturday night, state and city officials were called in to help facilitate talks.

Governor Ed Rendell said that while there was still no contract just yet, there are also no plans to strike. The union president expressed optimism about reaching an amicable agreement, and no deadline has been set.

Governor Rendell:

"We are hopeful that we might be able to make real progress and forestall any strike -- any going off work -- until we have an agreement, but we'll see. There's reason for a little bit of optimism, but the only guaranteed good news is there's no strike as of now."

A strike could disrupt hundreds of thousands of Septa riders in the city, and could also create headaches for those hoping to get to the World Series games at the Phillies' ballpark or to the Eagles' game on Sunday.

Rendell on Friday asked the union to reconsider its imminent strike threat (see related story).

Any walkout would shut down all city transit buses, the Market-Frankford subway-elevated, the Broad Street subway, and several trolley routes throughout West Philadelphia.

The 4,700 members of the TWU have been working without a contract since March (related story). Union president Willie Brown had previously said this would be the last week his people would work without a contract.

Septa's Regional Rail service would continue to run, and Septa officials hope that many riders could make the transition (see related story). Maloney says that extra service on certain lines may be added -- those schedules will be on line at septa.org -- and he warns that riders should buy tickets well in advance of their trips.

Stay tuned to KYW Newsradio 1060 for continuous updates on this story.  And in the event of a strike, listen to KYW Newsradio for "Traffic and Transit on the Twos," every ten minutes around the clock.