SEPTA strike could happen as soon as Friday, school district says impacted students won’t be marked late

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SEPTA and the School District of Philadelphia are sounding the alarm on a looming transit workers strike Friday that could impact thousands of public school students and the region if it goes into effect.

Transportation Workers Union Local 234 authorized the strike last week for the second straight year, highlighting concerns over transit safety and lack of progress on salary negotiations. The contract for the union, which represents bus, subway and trolley operators, and other support staff, expires Thursday at 11:59 p.m.

“Kids going to school would not be able to get the bus or the train, [as would] people going to work, people going to medical appointments,” said SEPTA spokesperson Andrew Busch. “If we are not able to reach an agreement and there is a strike, it’s a severe impact, social and economic, for the city and the region.”

Representing more than 5,000 employees, a strike would halt operations of city bus and trolley routes, along with the Market-Frankford Line and Broad Street Line. Regional Rail, Suburban Transit, LUCY and CCT Connect service would continue to operate as usual.

In bulletins posted to its website, TWU Local 234 said SEPTA “wants to give us a 0% raise” and the agency “will not commit to providing its employees with a safe working environment because it is too expensive.” Other posts highlighted the union’s concerns with safety, specifically shootings last month that left three women injured on a Route G bus and another one on a Route 60 bus.

Busch said SEPTA’s ongoing funding crisis due to federal COVID relief funds running out and lower ridership levels have impacted negotiations.

“We’re looking at annual budget deficits now nearing a quarter billion dollars, so it’s been very difficult in these negotiations to get into the heart of some of the economic issues, particularly with wages without having that funding solution in place,” Busch said.

In a statement Wednesday, the School District of Philadelphia said nearly 55,000 students rely on SEPTA to get to class each day. Superintendent Tony Watlington said students who are late or absent due to SEPTA-related travel issues won’t be marked late if a strike were to be called.

“I respect the right of union members to advocate for themselves,” Watlington said. “I do hope that this strike can be avoided so that we can continue to operate normally and support the social, emotional and academic needs of our students without disruption.”

TWU Local 234 and AFSCME District Council 33, representing more than 9,000 city employees, are reportedly considering a joint strike to turn up the heat for their respective contract negotiations, according to KYW News Radio.

Last year, TWU Local 234 reached a deal with SEPTA to avoid a strike. In 2016, the union went on strike after not agreeing with SEPTA on a new contract. In 2009, a similar SEPTA strike lasted for six days.

SEPTA’s transit police officers nearly walked off the job last December before reaching an agreement days after authorizing a strike. SEPTA police last went on strike in 2019, and before that in 2012. Regional Rail unions also authorized a strike last year but reached a deal with SEPTA in June, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

SEPTA CEO Leslie Richards announced she will step down from her position on Nov. 29. Board Chairman Kenneth Lawrence said a nationwide search for Richards’ successor is expected to occur in the coming weeks.

WHYY News has reached out to a spokesperson with TWU Local 234 and is awaiting comment.