SEPTA Transit Police Strike Is Over
by Alex Lloyd Gross
Just in time for the morning rush, Transit Police will be back on the job,. The transit police strike is over. The issue over parity with other transit workers was the straw that broke the camels back and forced a strike, officials said. . SEPTA wanted to give officers a 13 percent raise over 43 months. Management settled a similar labor contract with other workers in the transit union to give them raises over 36 months. That was the sticking point, according to transit police representatives.
Officers were taken off the picket lines and sent to patrol as soon as the word came down that SEPTA said yes. . This agreement is tentative and must be ratified by SEPTA and the Fraternal Order of Transit Police. This vote will be taken this coming week and it is expected to pass.
Alex Lloyd Gross Photo-Delaware Valley News.com Transit Police walk the picket line last week.
Governor Josh Shapiro intervened and was very helpful in bringing the two sides to the table.Officers went on strike Wednesday after months of not being able to reach an agreement.
In a prepared statement, SEPTA General Manager Leslie Richards said “We are happy to welcome back our police officers with this tentative agreement in place, Negotiators for both SEPTA and the FOTP have been working around the clock, as have our police supervisors who have been covering patrols.”