SEPTA and the Transport Workers Union Local 234 came to a tentative agreement Monday on a two-year contract that averts a strike by the authority's largest bargaining unit.

The deal includes a 3.5% across-the-board wage increase in each year of the contract, a boost in pension benefits for retiring TWU workers and the first increase in differential night pay since 1995, union leaders said. It contains a higher allowance for tools and clothing and improved health care benefits for new employees, who will now get plans that include vision and dental coverage after 90 days instead of 15 months.

SEPTA officials said the deal also includes improvements for managing worker absences to ensure service reliability when staffing levels are light.

The union must vote to ratify the new contract

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