NATIONAL BRIEFING / PENNSYLVANIA

Pennsylvania’s governor and Philadelphia’s mayor announced that the city transit system’s largest union had agreed not to go on strike as contract talks continued.

Gov. Edward G. Rendell and Mayor Michael Nutter told reporters late Saturday afternoon that a 6 p.m. strike deadline would pass with no walkout by the union representing more than 5,000 bus drivers, subway and trolley operators and mechanics of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority.

Rendell said there had been “substantial progress,” and that although no agreement had been reached, he hoped one could be made quickly.

“We expect a contract very soon,” agreed Willie Brown, president of the Transport Workers Union Local 234.

Nutter said that union and transit system negotiators would stay at the table until they reached a new contract, and that a walkout was “off the table.”