Striking SEPTA Union Leaders Meet with Gov. Rendell

by KYW's Hadas Kuznits

Pennsylvania lawmakers are working with the transport workers union to help them agree on a contract and end the Septa strike. 

The Transport Workers Union sat down with Governor Ed Rendell and Congressman Bob Brady on Thursday to help them restructure their contract:

Rendell: "We're looking at some new application that can be provided to the pension for a number of the employees that might have some monetary implication that could be passed back to the members, but all of this stuff is at the margin."

Governor Rendell says great strides were made over the weekend, but the TWU didn't get all of their demands met in a tentative contract:

"They've got to be realists about this economy.  So now, what we're trying to do is find a way to restructure it without it costing more money so that they can go back to their membership and say, look, the contract is a good one and because we went out on strike we've got it restructured in a way that's more beneficial to all of you -- and then let the members vote!"

Communication was expected to continue into the night.
 
Earlier on day three of the SEPTA transit strike,  KYW's Mike Dunn reports there were signs of possible progress toward a settlement as leaders of the Transport Workers Union met with Governor Ed Rendell and Congressman Bob Brady. 

TWU local 234 chief Willie Brown arrived at City Hall around 1:30pm and briefed City Council members behind closed doors about the strike (see related stories).
  
Afterward, he emerged and told reporters that later on Thursday afternoon he expected to meet with the governor. And after that, Brown said, he would hold a press conference.

But Brown refused to elaborate:

(Brown:)  "After I meet with the governor I will have a press conference."

(Reporter:)  "Do you think you can settle this up today?"

(Brown:)  "That I don't know."

(Reporter:)  "What's the purpose of the meeting?"

(Brown:)  "I guess he's trying to bring it to an end.  So I will meet with him this afternoon."

(Reporter:)  "So it could be over today?"

(Brown:)  "That I can't say."

The TWU press conference was announced for 5:30pm, but union officials later said it was postponed indefinitely as talks were ongoing. 

Listen to KYW Newsradio 1060 for updates on this breaking news story.

Brown's appearance at City Hall on Thursday included an awkward moment in which Brown was leaving the building as Nutter entered.  The union chief on Monday referred to the mayor as "Little Caesar" (see related story) and blamed him for the walkout.

"I said, 'Good afternoon, sir'," Nutter told reporters after Thursday's brief encounter.  He wasn't sure if Brown responded.

Nutter deflected questions about bad blood between him and Brown:

"That was yesterday's news.  There's only one thing that matters with this, and that's getting both parties back to the negotiating table."