SEPTA strikes tentative agreement with regional rail electrical workers

SEPTA has reached a tentative agreement with one of the regional rail union locals that staged a one-day strike in June.

An end to years of negotiations with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers appears to be very close, according to SEPTA spokeswoman Jerri Williams.

“That agreement still needs to be ratified by IBEW’s members, but it looks like we’re going to have a contract,” she said.

On Monday, SEPTA’s board will meet in a special session to authorize chairman, Pat Deon, to sign any contracts that come before the board’s next scheduled meeting in late September.

A union representative could not immediately be reached for comment.

Negotiations are occurring under the supervision of a Presidential Emergency Board convened by President Barack Obama to avert a longer rail strike.

The sticking points in contract talks have been pay raises and health care costs. Williams declined to comment on the specifics of the agreement, but she said that it “follow[s] our pattern, bargaining contracts that we have had with our other unions.”

SEPTA still has not reached an accord with the leaders of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, the other union chapter which walked out in June.