The 5,100-member Transport Workers Union Local 234 began
negotiating with SEPTA Wednesday with wages, pension reform and health care
identified as their major issues.
The contract expires Oct. 31 and the two sides last
bargained a two-year contract in 2014.
Union officials say health care and the pension were
deferred at that time and plan to address them during these sessions.
“Management was pushing us to pay more for health care,
but we knew there had to be a better solution,” Willie Brown, TWU Local 234
president and union negotiating team leader, said.
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With regards to the pension, he said there are managers
who pay less for their pensions than union members but they receive greater
monthly retirement benefits.
“This problem must be fixed in this round of
negotiations,” Brown said. “We need a system that is secure, fully funded and
provides a fair return for the money our members contribute to the pension
fund.”
He said the union will take action if things aren’t
amicable.
“We’re bringing innovative proposals to the bargaining
table and our goal is an agreement that works for all parties,” he said. “SEPTA
management, unfortunately, has shown a pattern of disrespecting the rights and
dignity of our members, to the detriment of the authority and our passengers.
If management is willing to change, we can reach a good agreement. If not,
we’ll be ready to rumble.”
SEPTA officials released a statement regarding the
opening of negotiations.
“SEPTA looks forward to continued good-faith discussions
in the months ahead, with both parties represented by experienced negotiators,”
it read. “We are confident that through the collective bargaining process, an
agreement can be reached that is fair to SEPTA, its employees, its customers
and taxpayers.”
Source: Delco
Times
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