SEPTA/Union "Making Progress" Toward Deal
Septa spokesperson: Anytime they are talking, it's progress.
By DANIELLE JOHNSON
Updated 12:43 PM EST, Thu, Nov 5, 2009
Negotiators for Septa and its largest union spent most of Monday ironing out a new contract at Govenor Ed Rendell's regional office in Philadelphia.
At least one of the issues workers are fighting over has been resolved, according to kyw1060. Workers will not have to pay more money for health insurance. Wage and pension issues have yet to be resolved as of Monday afternoon.
Septa spokesperson Richard Maloney was confident that both side were making strides toward a possible agreement, saying "any time they are talking, it's progress."
Throughout the weekend the two sides met along with Rendell and Mayor Michael Nutter. 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.
The last contract expired last spring and members voted Oct. 25 to authorize a strike.
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.
Copyright Associated Press / NBC Philadelphia
First Published: Oct 31, 2009 4:12 PM EST
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