Members of Transport Workers Union Local 234, the largest workers' union for SEPTA, met on Sunday to issue their votes, with 100-percent of those in attendance voting in favor of a strike.
According to a union representative, not only are they fighting for more pay, but their main concern is safety and security issues.
The union has been meeting with SEPTA regarding these concerns since July.
Now, this could impact people who rely on SEPTA service if a deal isn't hammered out by midnight, November 7.
Following the strike announcement, SEPTA released a statement:
SEPTA is in ongoing talks with TWU Local 234 regarding a new contract. We are committed to engaging in good-faith negotiations, with the goal of reaching an agreement that is fair to our hard-working employees and to the customers and taxpayers who fund SEPTA.
A major factor in these negotiations is SEPTA's ongoing funding crisis. With the exhaustion of federal COVID relief funds earlier this year and ridership still recovering from the pandemic, SEPTA is facing an operating budget deficit of nearly a quarter billion dollars annually. We continue to work with the Gov. Shapiro and legislative leaders on sustainable, long-term funding, but at this point, there is no solution in sight. This stark reality impacts these negotiations, as well as SEPTA's ability to provide critical transportation services throughout the Philadelphia region.