Contract talks continue with Pa. Turnpike workers

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission continues to negotiate with more than 1,500 fare collectors and maintenance workers whose contract expires at the end of September. They are members of the Teamsters union.

“The Teamsters union has been in place at the turnpike commission for more than 40 years,” said Carl DeFebo, commission spokesman. “We’ve got a close working relationship and only once in that time has there been a road bump, if you will.”

That road bump occurred in 2004 when turnpike employees walked off the job over a contract dispute. The commission was forced it to collect a flat toll fee from motorists for a week. That isn’t likely to occur this time around, DeFebo said.

DeFebo says both the workers and the turnpike commission are looking to avoid a strike “at all costs.”