Union Says Odds of a SEPTA Strike Are "Very Good"

The president of SEPTA’s largest union was blunt and direct when asked what the odds were of a strike.

"The odds of a strike are very good," said Willie Brown, president of the Transit Workers Union Local 234.

The contract for most members of TWU Local 234, which represents around 5,000 SEPTA workers, expired on March 15. Union members have been working under an old agreement since then.

The last of three TWU and SEPTA contracts is set to expire at midnight on April 6. Local lawmakers have asked both sides to enter arbitration, which is normally used in the state to settle contracts with police, fire and other employees, in order to avoid a strike.

“We can get this contract settled,” Brown said. “We’re ready to accept binding arbitration rather than exercise our right to strike. It’s an option that works for the riders and for the taxpayers who make funding for mass transit possible. We’re ready to arbitrate. The City Council says both parties should arbitrate. A majority of Philadelphia legislators say both parties should arbitrate. The question is – why is SEPTA refusing to arbitrate?”

Brown says that the issues in dispute are submitted to a neutral third party under the terms of arbitration, meaning neither side will have any advantage.

“We’re very confident that our contract proposals are fair to our members and will keep the agency on sound financial footing,” Brown said. “We’re perfectly willing to let a neutral third party review what we’ve proposed. If SEPTA management is confident in their contract proposals, why aren’t they willing to do the same?”

A SEPTA spokesperson responded to Brown's comments Wednesday afternoon.

"SEPTA believes that the parties can best work out their differences by engaging in good faith negotiations,"  said the spokesperson in a released statement. "It is not in the best interest of SEPTA, its employees, the union or the taxpayers for a third party – with no vested interest in the day to day operations of the Authority - to dictate the wages, benefits and working conditions of SEPTA’s workers.  The union’s threat to strike does nothing to move the parties closer to an agreement.  SEPTA urges the union to continue bargaining at the table so that the parties can reach an amicable settlement."

Brown told NBC10 that SEPTA's offers were so full of concessions that they were "provoking a strike."

"With the proposals they come to the table with they are provoking a strike,' Brown said. "They know absolutely, positively that we can't accept some of the concessions they want. They know that."

If a strike happens, Union leaders say SEPTA's backup plans won't be enough.

"There plan is to put people on regional rail," Brown said. "You can only carry so many people."

Union members and SEPTA officials are scheduled to continue negotiations on Thursday. As for whether SEPTA passengers should make other plans for Monday morning, Brown says he's still unsure.

"I can't say yes or no," Brown said. "It depends on what happens the rest of this week."

The two sides were expected to sit down to talk again on Thursday night.

Source: NBC10