Philadelphia SEPTA transit strike averted as union continues bargaining

Nov. 8 (UPI) - Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority workers decided to continue negotiations on a new labor contract Friday afternoon, averting a strike that had been set for midnight Thursday.

"We made significant progress today and there was enough progress made where we decided to not go on strike and continue talking ," Transport Workers Union Local 234 President Brian Pollitt said in a Thursday statement, "...I'm going to do whatever I can and all the power that I have to try to avoid a strike. I'm going to sit down, roll my sleeves up, get with SEPTA and try to make a deal."

The union workers want raises along with safety and security improvements.

"SEPTA is committed to engaging in good-faith negotiations at the bargaining table, with the goal of reaching an agreement that is fair to our hard-working employees and to the customers and taxpayers who fund SEPTA," SEPTA spokesman Andrew Busch said.

SEPTA transit will operate normally Friday. The union represents 5,000 transit workers.