Monday Morning SEPTA Commuters Breathe Easy After Tentative Deal Is Reached With Union

By Jim Melwert

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- SEPTA and its largest labor union came to a tentative agreement on a new contract over the weekend, and that had riders who feared a strike breathing a sigh of relief as they headed back to work and school.

Leaders of Transport Workers Local 234 warned that a strike could have started as early as Monday. But, with the announcement late Friday night that they had come to a tentative agreement with SEPTA management, buses, trolleys and subways were rolling on schedule at the beginning of the week.

"That'll be good if they don't go on strike," said Jamil of Northeast Philadelphia.

Jamil admitted word of the agreement was a relief for him as he tried to get to work in the morning.

"I think a whole lot of other people will be relieved that they're not on strike," he said. "A whole lot."

Marjorie from Northeast Philadelphia was relaxing a bit after scrambling to make sure she was covered in the event of a work stoppage.

"Oh, yeah I had a plan," she said. "I don't know how well it would have worked out. I had one though."

The nearly 5,000 bus drivers, trolley and subway operators do still have to ratify the deal, that vote was expected later in the week.

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