SEPTA Transit Police union hits pause on plans to strike
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The union representing SEPTA Transit Police says plans for a strike are on pause.
The Fraternal Order of Transit Police Lodge 109 said Wednesday that members will vote on SEPTA's latest contract proposal in a general membership meeting on Dec. 13. If the offer is rejected, "a strike will be called immediately."
"After discussions this morning with the 11 members of the FOTP board, we've decided to hit pause on a strike for now," FOTP president Omari Bervine said in a news release. Bervine is also a SEPTA Transit Police patrol officer.
SEPTA says it will urge the union to continue negotiating ahead of that meeting.
In a news release, the FOTP says its board does not currently recommend ratifying SEPTA's latest proposal, claiming officers were promised "parity" with the agreement ratified this month with Transport Workers Union Local 234, which represents thousands of city transit employees.
TWU workers were given 7% wage increases, signing bonuses, and retention bonuses for employees who delay retirement, as well as assurances SEPTA would limit mandatory overtime.
SEPTA's latest proposal to police was a two-year deal that included 3% wage increases each year. The union says members will discuss the current offer and any additional proposals at the Dec. 13 meeting.
"SEPTA's transit police are paid considerably less than police at Amtrak, Temple University or police officers employed by the county," the union says. "Many of SEPTA's patrol officers have recently left to seek higher paying jobs at those public agencies and elsewhere."
The FOTP claims 170 SEPTA Transit Police officers have worked without a contract since March.
The union says it will study SEPTA's finances during the pause and compare the findings to the contract SEPTA agreed to with TWU Local 234 earlier this month.
Here is SEPTA's statement on the negotiations with FOTP Lodge 109:
SEPTA has made proposals to the FOTP that are consistent with recent contracts awarded to employees represented by other unions. We urge FOTP leadership to continue to engage in negotiations so that we can reach agreement on a contract that is fair to our hard-working police officers and is financially responsible for the Authority as a whole.