A strike by SEPTA police officers that started Wednesday is over.
The officers’ union reached a tentative contract agreement with the transit agency Saturday, meaning members of the Fraternal Order of Transit Police Lodge #109 returned to regular patrols by the afternoon.
“We are happy to welcome back our police officers with this tentative agreement in place,” said SEPTA CEO and General Manager Leslie S. Richards in an emailed statement. “Negotiators for both SEPTA and the FOTP have been working around the clock, as have our police supervisors who have been covering patrols.”
Richards said Gov. Josh Shapiro played a key role in bringing the two sides together.
“The Governor’s engagement enabled us to come to a deal that protects public safety on SEPTA and takes care of hard-working union members who put their lives on the line every day.”
FOTP President Omari Bervine echoed that sentiment.
“Gov. Shapiro stepped up to the plate. With his involvement, we scored the gains we needed. The governor made it clear to both sides that public safety was of paramount importance,” Bervine said. “This is a huge win for SEPTA transit passengers who will have us back on the job.
The tentative agreement still needs to be approved by FOTP members and the SEPTA Board.
The deal comes quicker than the last two FOTP strikes in 2019 and 2012, which lasted nine days and six days. Just like those strikes, pay was central to this week’s work stoppage.
SEPTA had offered to increase officer pay by 13% over three years. That offer was rejected in a vote by members earlier this week because union leaders said it didn’t match raises won by the agency’s much larger Transit Workers Union last month.
