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United Transportation Union-represented conductors and assistant conductors at Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) recently ratified a new agreement by an eight-to-one margin. The contract still is subject to SEPTA board approval.

Earlier this year, authority officials agreed to provide Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen-represented engineers longevity pay, but not UTU-represented conductors. In May, a presidential emergency board (PEB) recommended UTU conductors receive longevity pay, but SEPTA officials rejected the board's recommendation.

The Bush Administration then appointed a second PEB to negotiate a final agreement, which again includes longevity pay for conductors.

If SEPTA’s board does not approve the new UTU-ratified agreement, the second PEB will recommend the "most reasonable" offer to Bush Administration officials, according to UTU.

SEPTA's commuter-rail division employs 365 UTU-represented conductors and assistant conductors.