Local 234 representing more than 5,000 SEPTA workers have stated that a strike is imminent.
The union representing workers on buses, subways and trolleys in Philadelphia, have been working without a contract since November 7th and negotiations are not progressing since talks began October without movement. Vera and national TWU Local 234 leaders issued a stark warning to SEPTA: workers are fed up and ready to hit the picket line.
“I can tell you now that my patience has run out. I’m tired of talking and we’re about to start walking,” said Will Vera, president of TWU Local 234 during a news conference on Friday afternoon December 5th. “If things don’t go the way it needs to go, on behalf of my members, we will be striking,” Vera said.
Union leadership warned a strike is imminent if SEPTA doesn’t come back to the table with “reasonable and fair offers to their demands.” At the center of the dispute are better wages and sick pay, pension increases and better health care. If workers strike, bus, subway and trolley service across Philadelphia would shut down, disrupting commutes for thousands who rely on the system daily.
“We’ve been patient”, said John Samuelsen, International President of TWU. “More patient than we’ve been in a long, long time. The patience is over and a strike is imminent. It’s going to happen. It may happen tonight. It may happen tomorrow, it’s imminent.”
SEPTA spokesperson Andrew Busch acknowledged that talks over the past two weeks have yielded little progress but said the transit agency is prepared to return to negotiations at any time.
