The Philadelphia transit system's largest union went on strike early yesterday over wage, pension and health care issues, stalling the city's bus, subway and trolley operations and forcing thousands of commuters to find other ways to get to work -- and to Election Day polls.

The sudden strike by Transport Workers Union Local 234 all but crippled the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, which averages more than 928,000 trips each weekday. No new negotiations were scheduled yesterday.

Gov. Ed Rendell, who helped mediate negotiations for the past four days, was stunned when the union walked out on a proposed deal that included an 11.5 percent wage increase over five years.

Today will be another test as the Philadelphia public schools, which were closed for Election Day, reopen. On an average weekday, about 54,000 public and parochial students take SEPTA to school.

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