SEPTA board gives chairman authority to sign rail contracts

The board of the Southeast Pennsylvania Transportation Authority has given SEPTA’s chairman the authority to sign any contracts with the agency’s regional rail employees before its next meeting in late September.

 

 

It’s an indication that talks have progressed significantly since those workers staged a one-day strike in June.

And just to be prepared for further movement, the board gave chairman Pat Deon the authority to approve agreements with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers or Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, said SEPTA spokeswoman Jerri Williams.

“This is anticipating that the tentative agreement that we have with IBEW will be ratified before the September board meeting,” she said.

The 200 plus members of IBEW Local 744 must finish voting on the contract proposal, which includes a wage increase.

SEPTA has been negotiating separately with the operators’ union, but so far the two side have not been able to come to an understanding.