GOP call for statewide Pennsylvania poll watchers is denied

Hillary Clinton to hold final rally in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Frustrated commuters called on Philadelphia's transit agency and the union representing about 4,700 striking workers to make a deal Thursday as union members walked the picket lines for a third day and traffic congestion clogged city streets. "Everyone needs to start being a little more negotiable or else it's going to be a real challenge," said commuter Tiffani Macklin, 40. Macklin and others who work in the city have juggled car pools, regional rail trips and long walks home amid the strike that began Tuesday and has shut down buses, trolleys and subways that provide about 900,000 rides a day. A union spokesman on Thursday said contract talks are ongoing between its negotiators and the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority. A current cap on union pension benefits and the amount of time off provided to operators between shifts were among the issues on the table. SEPTA Board Chairman Pasquale T. Deon Sr. said late Wednesday that on several occasions this week, SEPTA negotiators believed progress was being made, but Deon said the union "brought a halt to negotiations." He urged union negotiators to engage in good-faith negotiations to bring an end to the walkout, saying a strike should be "an option of last resort." Union President Willie Brown said Thursday that the transit agency has not bargained in good faith, saying its negotiators "stonewalled contract talks for months" before the strike began. Motorists fought traffic gridlock during the morning rush Thursday, the third day of the strike. Highways around the region experienced major backups as thousands of people who normally take city transit used their cars instead. Kathy Miller said the drive from her Delaware home has, at times, taken her nearly five times longer than usual. On Thursday, her commute time was doubled. "This has got to end soon," Miller said. "People who don't have the privilege of accepting bosses or flex-time could feel a lot of pressure right now." Regional rail lines experienced delays up to 30 minutes Thursday as a result of increased demand caused by the idling of city buses, trolleys and subways. Alternative transportation methods, like the city's bike-share program and Uber, have seen an uptick in business. Schools have also been affected, because SEPTA provides rides for nearly 60,000 public, private and charter school students. The walkout, the ninth since 1975 by the city transit union, is the first since a 2009 strike that lasted six days. SEPTA asked the union Wednesday night to assure residents that, if necessary, they will suspend the strike on Election Day if no agreement is reached. Some city leaders expressed fears of it lasting through Election Day, leaving some residents with little time to vote Nov. 8. Brown said Thursday that SEPTA negotiators were playing games. Instead, of looking to election week, transit officials should work with his union to reach a deal, Brown said. Philadelphia Democratic Party chairman Bob Brady said the contract impasse will end before Election Day. "We're gonna get it done," he said. ___ Associated Press writers Errin Whack and Kathy Matheson contributed to this report.

Frustrated commuters deal with 3rd day of transit strike