advertisement

---

Yesterday, 311 United Transportation Union Local 1594 members — which work for Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority’s (SEPTA) suburban light-rail and bus division — ratified a one-year agreement by a more than 12-to-1 margin.

The agreement includes health care and prescription benefits, but SEPTA’s $70 million operating deficit and rising health-care insurance premiums will continue to make other contract negotiations difficult, UTU officials said in a statement.

"It is always nice to ratify an agreement by a large margin, but we don’t have the luxury of savoring this moment because we all know the battle to preserve our health and welfare is ongoing," said UTU General Chairperson Ron Koran in a prepared statement.

UTU-represented employees working for SEPTA’s heavy-rail operations still are negotiating a contract with authority officials.