iStock/Thinkstock(PHILADELPHIA) — Commuters in Philadelphia and southeastern Pennsylvania may face some trouble trying to get to work or school on Tuesday.
At 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, more than 4,700 mass transit workers went on strike after their union and Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) failed to reach an agreement on a new contract. The previous contract expired at midnight.
“Hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvania residents rely on SEPTA to travel each day to and from work and school and the inability of TWU and SEPTA to reach an agreement is devastating for many of these individuals and their families,” Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf said in a statement. “This will create extreme hardships for the city and for businesses.”
“I have spoken at length with both sides and I continue to urge them to come together and continue talking until a compromise is reached,” Wolf added.
[ CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT WHICH SEPTA SERVICES ARE AFFECTED ]
According to ABC’s Philadelphia station WPVI-TV, both sides are on completely different pages when it comes to the issues — the big one being pensions.
Officials are concerned the strike could affect people’s ability to vote if it extends through Election Day.
“We are hopeful that a tentative agreement will be reached before Election Day,” SEPTA said in a statement. “If we foresee an agreement will not come to pass, SEPTA intends to seek to enjoin the strike for November 8th to ensure that the strike does not prevent any voters from getting to the polls and exercising their right to vote.”
Negotiations between SEPTA and TWU Local 234 are continuing.
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