Contract with SEPTA’s largest workers’ union is set to expire this week. Members have been told to stay on the job

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The contract with SEPTA’s largest workers’ union expires Friday, Nov. 7, but union leaders have instructed members to stay on the job as negotiations continue — even as the transit agency grapples with seemingly never-ending budget difficulties and delayed safety inspections.

Transportation Workers Union Local 234 represents over 5,000 employees, mostly bus, subway and trolley operators, as well as additional support staff. The union narrowly reached a deal the same time last year to avoid a strike that threatened to halt operations on bus and trolley routes, the Market-Frankford Line and the Broad Street Line.

“As we continue to bargain, we’re asking you to please continue to come to work and put money aside,” Will Vera, TWU Local 234 president, said in a video to members Tuesday. “We want you to be prepared in case we have to call a work stoppage. But I want you to know a work stoppage cannot be called until we call for the strike authorization vote, and you can expect more information to happen next week.”

If an authorization vote occurs, it would be the third year in a row a strike would be on the table. SEPTA said in a statement to WHYY News that it continues to negotiate with the union in good faith.

“Our goal is to reach an agreement that is fair to our hard-working employees and to the customers and taxpayers who fund SEPTA,” said a SEPTA spokesperson.

In 2023, the union reached a deal with SEPTA to avoid a strike. In 2016, TWU Local 234 went on strike after failing to reach a contract agreement, and in 2009, a similar SEPTA strike lasted six days.

In late October, SEPTA postponed multiple improvement projects to keep service running amid mounting funding issues while the state government remains months overdue on its budget. According to Spotlight PA, Gov. Josh Shapiro and the four legislative caucus leaders met in person last week to negotiate.

SEPTA was also recently granted a two-week extension from federal regulators to finish inspecting its aging Silverliner IV Regional Rail cars. The inspection deadline for the 225-car fleet is now Nov. 14 after the Federal Railroad Administration ordered inspections following a series of fires on board earlier this year.