SEPTA today announced that it has reached a tentative contract agreement with TWU Local 234 for employees the union represents in the City, Suburban, and Frontier Divisions.
The tentative agreement allows for service to continue without disruption on all SEPTA modes of travel. The agreement will be finalized pending ratification by union members and approval by the SEPTA Board.
The tentative agreement was reached following discussions mediated by Governor Josh Shapiro over the weekend.
“I want to thank Governor Shapiro and his team for their efforts to bring both sides together after talks broke down late last week,” said SEPTA Board Chair Kenneth E. Lawrence Jr., who was involved in contract discussions over the weekend. “These negotiations are difficult, and I thank everyone involved for their commitment to reaching an agreement while keeping service moving for SEPTA riders.”
The tentative contract is for two years. It includes wage increases and a temporary pension enhancement for TWU members who retire during the term of the contract, while maintaining healthcare and other benefits. It also adds a program designed to improve absence management, and increases the pay differential for night shifts – two measures that are expected to help SEPTA ensure it has adequate staffing available as it works to improve service reliability.
“I greatly appreciate the efforts of negotiators on both sides, and we are grateful to Governor Shapiro and his team for their efforts to help us resolve differences and reach a tentative agreement,” said SEPTA General Manager Scott A. Sauer. “The tentative contract agreement is both fair to our hardworking frontline employees and fiscally responsible to our fare-paying riders and the taxpayers who fund SEPTA.”
The agreement will now go to union members for ratification, and then to the SEPTA Board for a vote.
