SEPTA union boss talks tough as negotiations finally resume this week

Willie Brown did not mince words: If SEPTA management doesn't budge on pensions during next week's negotiations, there's a "real possibility" of a strike. The president of the TWU Local 234 said that the main sticking points are pensions, health care and SEPTA's handling of employee grievances. TWU, SEPTA's largest union, has been working without a contract since March.

"With us, it’s not a question of if we strike it’s a question of when we strike," said Brown who has more than 5,000 workers in his union. "That’s how far apart we are."

Any strike would affect buses and subways but not regional rail trains (they're governed by another union. More on their labor negotiations later). Representatives from the TWU and SEPTA have not met face-to-face since July but have been communicating via email, Brown said. They have meetings scheduled for October 14, 15 and 16.

"My intention is not to go on strike, my intention is to work out a contract ...," said Brown who said he has not yet called for a vote to strike. "If they refuse to negotiate and won’t budge on pensions, we have to do what we have to do."

SEPTA's Director of Media Relations Jerri Williams said she's hopeful that the negotiations are fruitful and a strike can be avoided.

"We understand that it's important for the union to feel that we're negotiating," said Williams. "So we'll have a chance to discuss our side and make our points, and the union can make their points. Hopefully we can find common ground."

She declined to go into specifics on the sticking points in the negotiations or just how far apart both sides are.

Regional Rail Workers Have Their Own Complaints

Regional rail workers, many of whom are in the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, have been working without a contract for five years. But they will likely have to wait until February to institute a strike. After a one-day strike in June alongside the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, they were forced to comply with a 120-day cooling off period instituted by the Presidential Emergency Board. It's likely to enforce a second one that will last until February.

What happens next is anybody's guess. Sure, both unions are negotiating with SEPTA, but the possibility exists that both go on strike at the same time — meaning a system wide shutdown in February. No trains. No buses. No subways. No trolleys.

But Brown and Steve Bruno, vice president of the locomotive engineers union, said they are not coordinating with one another to institute a work stoppage in February.

"We are not coordinating our strike date," said Bruno. "We have no desire to do that."

Brown agreed: "Neither one of us have the mindset to cause such a big event."

For TWU, Pensions at Top of Agenda

Brown provided this example to highlight the fight over pensions: If a SEPTA management employee contributes $1,700 per year to the pension plan, they'll receive $8,000 per month when they retire. If a union employee contributes the same amount, they'll get $2,500 per month.

Back in the spring, Brown said he wouldn't negotiate until SEPTA delivers better data about what's driving its need for increased healthcare contributions. Now, he says they have, and the health care issue is close to being resolved. Basically, the union wants a two-year deal because they're unsure how health care reform will affect the plan going forward. Brown seemed positive about "getting something worked out" on the health care front.

But now pensions have jumped to the top of the union agenda.

Employee Grievances

A new TWU-SEPTA contract would likely have to deal with the company's handling of employee grievances. SEPTA deals with grievances over dismissals first, then handles other matters. Brown argues that the process can take two to three years to complete, something Brown says needs to change.

"These issues need to get that resolved faster," he said.

SEPTA's Williams said that "if that's one of the things they want to discuss next week, we'll discuss it."

Regional Rail Unions Concerned About Safety

Safety is a big issue for the regional rail workers. Bruno claims that SEPTA has an "inability to address turnover with proper training and staffing" which has led to workers being fatigued due to a 14-hour work days, six day weeks and being called on short notice.

“We're heading for a Metro North kind of accident here”, he said referring to a 2013 train collision in Connecticut.

Williams said that safety hasn't been an issue in negotiations with the union and said that SEPTA is in full compliance of all federal safety regulations and mandates. Still, she said, SEPTA is happy to discuss any safety concerns that are brought up.

While the transit authority is in compliance, Bruno says it's not good enough.

"We believe it is appropriate to have a sufficient margin from safety standards," said Bruno. "Why walk on edge of building when there’s plenty of room on the right?"

When asked if he's thinking of possibly calling for a vote to strike, Bruno said simply: "Without a doubt. We waited five years to negotiate with septa we will exercise and economic leverage we have up to and including a strike."

Pay Raise Fight

Although they haven't got a pay raise since the contract expired, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen workers are in for an 11.5 percent pay increase (which was negotiated back in 2009 and encapsulates pay raises from then until now). But they're fighting over when it kicks in.

The union wants the pay raises to start August 27, 2014, meaning workers will get a bit of retroactive pay whenever a deal is completed. SEPTA wants the pay raises to kick in when the bargaining is finished and a deal has been ratified. Union officials say that ratification could take another 30 days.

Workers had been fighting for pay raises retroactive to their last contract in 2009 but stopped requesting that after the Presidential Emergency Board came out against it.

Source: Philadelphia Business Journal