PHILADELPHIA -- Many commuters in the Philadelphia area had to find another way to get to work this Halloween, as Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority workers walked off the job at midnight.

WCAU-TV found the spirit among the striking SEPTA workers very high.

They said they don't want to be on strike, but have to because the union and SEPTA are far apart on issues.

The key sticking point, according to the union, is still health care.

Many SEPTA riders told the television station that they were not sympathetic with the striking SEPTA workers.

"Everybody has to do some kind of a co-pay. I don't see why they should be excluded," commuter Clifton Oakley said.

The workers said they're prepared to stay out as long as possible, reported the station.

The workers said they have been preparing for the strike for a long time and warned SEPTA they would walk out.

"For almost two years, we haven't had a wage increase. We haven't had a disability increase in 13 years. We haven't had a pension increase in almost four years," SEPTA spokesman Richard Maloney said.

"That is big. That is huge for us. We try to extend ourselves as far as we could and apparently it wasn't enough," Transport Workers Union President Jeff Brooks said.

Seven hours of negotiations Sunday were unable to resolve the issues.

"Right now, everything is going to hurt the public and us. So we just hopefully have the public that will just bear with us until everything gets resolved, you know, and this is our livelihood. This is what we do," trolley operator Louis Burt said.

The strike leaves nearly half a million commuters in need of alternate transportation.

Some usual SEPTA riders are using their own car, while others are relying on friends. Others are pulling out their walking shoes.

TWU Local 234, which represents about 5,000 subway, trolley and bus workers in Philadelphia, is coordinating with United Transportation Union Local 1594, which represents about 300 suburban transit employees, to strike at the same time.

The last Philadelphia transit strike, in 1998, lasted 40 days.

The union has already agreed to three extensions of the contract that expired June 15. Operations have continued since then under the terms of that contract.

The mass transit system is vital to mobility in a city where one in three households lacks a car.

City preparations for a possible walkout included setting up extra bicycle racks and allowing more parking.

City schools, which don't provide bus service for high school students, plan to remain open but could reconsider if there is a prolonged strike.