SEPTA Strike Avoided: Strong Agreement Secured

Hard-Fought Negotiations Deliver Gains in Pay, Benefits, and Quality of Life

After months of difficult negotiations, the members of SMART-TD Local 1594 (Upper Darby, PA) have achieved a new tentative agreement with SEPTA. General Chairpersons Anthony Petty and Ray Boyer, along with Bus Department Vice President James Sandoval, successfully negotiated advances in safety, pay, benefits, work rules, and quality of life.  

No Self-Driving Transit 

Notably, SMART-TD members are guaranteed that they will not be replaced by automated vehicles. As driverless taxis continue to cause safety problems in cities where they have been deployed, we believe this is not only a job-security issue: it is a public safety emergency. This guarantee extends one year beyond the life of the contract. 

Quarterly meetings will also be held focusing on improving members’ quality of work life, as the parties work towards a specific agreement focused on meal layovers.  

SMART-TD Strike Averted by Last Minute Bargaining

This contract did not come easy. SMART-TD and SEPTA had very different ideas about what a fair agreement should look like. Talks grew tense, and our SEPTA brothers and sisters came closer to taking strike action than we’ve seen in years. Our negotiating team was guided by one simple truth: SMART-TD members are the skilled professionals who keep Philadelphia moving, and we deserve equal respect and protection. 

We also want to recognize SEPTA’s leadership team for staying at the table. Despite our differences, SEPTA ultimately showed professionalism and recognized the value our members bring to their system and their city. In the end, that respect made this hard-fought deal possible. 

To Our Members: This Victory is Yours 

Your skill, your dedication, and your daily work on the streets and trolley lines of Philadelphia made the difference. Your professionalism keeps the riding public safe and the system running smoothly even as the talks dragged on. Your solidarity gave our negotiating team the strength to keep pushing. Your unmatched work ethic reminded SEPTA that our members are the most valuable resource in Philadelphia’s transit network. 

The new agreement brings SMART-TD members to parity with the other unions on the property and sets the stage for a future built on respect, fairness, and shared purpose. 

This was a hard-fought win is another example of why this union is here: when SMART-TD members stand together, we move forward—with strength, unity and respect from our employers. 

Congratulations to every member of SMART-TD Local 1594. You’ve earned this victory.