But Brown, in a telephone interview, painted a different picture early Tuesday.

"They wouldn't provide the proper numbers" during negotiations, Brown said. "When it comes right down to it, they've underfunded our pension for years."

Rendell said the union chose to walk away from an "excellent" contract offer that includes 11 percent in wage increases over five years, and 11 percent increase in pension contributions, an no increases in workers' contribution for health care.

"Think about that," Rendell said. "Whose pension has been increased in this day and age?"

According to TWU officials, SEPTA management has proposed no wage increase for the first two years of a four-year contract and a 2 percent increase in each of the final two years. It also wanted to increase worker contributions to health coverage from 1 percent to 4 percent and freeze the level of pension benefits.

The union wants a 4 percent raise each year and health contributions to remain 1 percent. It is also seeking an increase in pension contributions from $75 to $100 for every year of service.

The TWU also is seeking changes in subcontracting and training provisions to allow members to do maintenance and repair work on buses and trolleys now done by outside contractors.

SEPTA's 5,100 unionized bus drivers, subway and trolley operators earn from $14.54 to $24.24 an hour, reaching the top rate after four years. Mechanics earn $14.40 to $27.59 an hour.