NORRISTOWN, Pa. (CBS) — Negotiations between Septa and the
union representing the engineers on the transit agency’s Regional Rail lines
have reached an impasse.
But riders needn’t worry about a work stoppage — at least
for now.
The National Mediation Board, which has been overseeing
talks between the two sides, says those negotiations have broken down and it’s
ending its efforts to broker an agreement.
The board is suggesting binding arbitration. The union says it would accept it, but the
transit agency says it will not.
The next step is the creation of a presidential board to try
to resolve the dispute.
“The BLET (Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen)
will have to wait at least 270 days before this process is complete,” notes
Septa spokeswoman Jerri Williams. “That
means that a possible work stoppage on the Regional Rails would not occur until
sometime in January.”
She says Septa has offered significant wage increases and
has no plans to touch the pension plan.
The engineers have been without a new contract since 2010.
Source: CBS
Philly
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