Philadelphia Transit Strike Ends; Settlement OKd by Union Board

This city’s buses, trolleys, subways and elevated trains got rolling again Monday after transit workers settled a 14-day strike.

Service resumed at midafternoon, a few hours after the executive board of the Transport Workers Union Local 234 unanimously approved a settlement reached earlier in the day with the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority.

The striking drivers, mechanics, track and signal operators, and clerical workers are to vote on the agreement Friday.

Union members said the three-year agreement provides a 3% wage increase each year and improves pensions and life insurance benefits.

“We’re happy that it’s over,” union president Harry Lombardo said. “The TWU set a variety of goals in sick pay, pension and benefits, and I believe we have met those goals.”

The agreement will cover all city transit and the Frontier bus lines serving the suburbs.

The third division on strike is Red Arrow, which covers trolleys and buses running from the suburbs into the city. It is partially represented by the United Transportation Union, which agreed to return to work under the old contract as long as talks continue.

At a city bus garage in North Philadelphia, Clarence Thompson Jr., a driver for 29 years, stopped by to greet co-workers. He planned to return before daybreak Tuesday to start his route between Fern Rock and South Philadelphia.

“You cannot make any money being on strike and then it hurt a lot of people in the street, especially the poor people who use the bus to get back and forth to work every day,” he said. “I don’t like to see them hurt.”

The strike shut down buses, trolleys, commuter trains and subways in a five-county region, affecting nearly 400,000 daily riders and 5,800 SEPTA workers.