Game on: Philly's Transit Union Workers Won’t Strike
No disruptions expected for fans heading to World Series game
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PHILADELPHIA - OCTOBER 31: Buses sit idle at SEPTA's (Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority) Frankford Transportation Center as members of Transport Workers Union Local 234 and United Transportation Union Local 1594 picket during a strike October 31, 2005 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Much of the Philadelphia region's mass transit system is shut down leaving some 400,000 subway, bus, and trolley riders without transportation. One of the major stumbling blocks in negotiations is SEPTA wants unionized workers to pay for a portion of their healthcare benefits. No new negotiation sessions are scheduled. (Photo by William Thomas Cain/Getty Images)
Commuters and sports fans can breathe a collective sigh of relief as SEPTA and union workers decide there will not be a transit strike. The two sides vowed to continue contract negotiations until they reach an agreement.
Gov. Ed Rendell, Mayor Michael Nutter and U.S. Rep. Robert Brady and SEPTA and union officials met at the Park Hyatt in the Bellevue Saturday, where contract negotiations are being held.
Rendell and Nutter told reporters late Saturday afternoon that a 6 p.m. strike deadline would pass with no walkout by the union representing more than 5,000 bus drivers, subway and trolley operators and mechanics of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority.
Rendell said there had been “substantial progress,” and that although no agreement had yet been reached; he hoped one could be concluded quickly.
“We expect a contract very soon,” agreed Willie Brown, president of the Transport Workers Union Local 234.
Nutter said union and transit system negotiators would stay at the table until a new contract is reached, and a walkout was “off the table.”
“The system is up and running,” he said. “Use it, today, tomorrow, the next day and the day after that while we're in the midst of this negotiation.”
The union, which represents more than 5,000 bus drivers, subway and trolley operators and mechanics -- had threatened to strike just after midnight Friday if there was no accord, but agreed to Rendell's request to keep talking on Saturday. The last contract expired last spring and members voted Oct. 25 to authorize a strike.
The Phils and New York Yankees are scheduled to play the third, fourth and fifth games of the Series on Saturday, Sunday and Monday in Philadelphia.
Most of the system's 810,000 riders use buses, subway lines and trolleys to get to work, but SEPTA spokesman Richard Maloney said about 8,000 people typically take transit to the baseball stadium for games.
