New talks in week-old Philly transit police strike
Negotiators for the Philadelphia area’s transit agency and striking transit police officers are once again in talks to try to end the week-old walkout.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reports SEPTA and the Transit Police Union met for three hours yesterday and will resume talks today.
SEPTA’s 219 unionized police abruptly went on strike March 21. City police, transit police supervisors and private security companies are being deployed to cover for the striking officers.
The two sides differ on proposals for an hourly wage increase for mandatory re-certifications.
They are also sparring over whether crime has increased at SEPTA stations and vehicles during the strike. The agency says the union is “fear-mongering” and most crimes cited by the union actually happened at nearby stores.
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