Newsstand - Philadelphia Transit Workers Strike

Philadelphia’s morning commute ground to a halt on Tuesday after the city transit system’s largest union went on strike at 3 a.m. Eastern time.

The strike by Local 234 of the Transport Workers Union left commuters walking, hitching rides, catching cabs or biking to work. The impact was lessened somewhat by the fact that public schools in the city were closed Tuesday for teachers’ conferences.

The strike was announced a few hours after the Phillies beat the Yankees in Game 5 of the World Series, the last game of the series scheduled to be played in Philadelphia.

The action was in clear defiance of Gov. Ed Rendell, who over the weekend had ordered the union and the transit authority, known as Septa, to remain at the bargaining table or risk consequences.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/04/us/04transit.html

It's worth noting that the strike does not affect the Regional Rail lines. So you can still get from the PHL airport into the city on the R1.

The action was in clear defiance of Gov. Ed Rendell, who over the weekend had ordered the union and the transit authority, known as Septa, to remain at the bargaining table or risk consequences.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/04/us/04transit.html

I wonder what he can do? How do you 'punish' a city?

I'm glad the regionals still work. At least you can hit the major spots.. an alternative is phillycarshare. It's a pretty cool program where you can rent cars spread throughout the city.

It's worth noting that the strike does not affect the Regional Rail lines. So you can still get from the PHL airport into the city on the R1.

And Septa now aims to make such journeys much more exciting (http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/20091104_Fire_rips_through_R-5_train_car.html).

And Septa now aims to make such journeys much more exciting (http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/20091104_Fire_rips_through_R-5_train_car.html).

Didn't get much better today, and this one (http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/20091105_Track_fatality_disrupts_3_regional_rail_l ines.html) sadly involved a fatality of a track worker.

(11-07) 19:01 PST PHILADELPHIA (AP) --
Negotiations aimed at ending a transit strike in Philadelphia broke off Saturday night over disagreement on pensions and the impact of possible national health care overhaul, and Pennsylvania's governor walked away from the negotiations.

"In my 32 years in government, I have never been more disappointed by a negotiation than I am right now tonight," Gov. Ed Rendell told reporters Saturday evening, flanked by Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and negotiators for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority.

Rendell and U.S. Rep. Robert Brady, D-Pa., who brokered negotiations, had announced Friday night that the two sides had a tentative agreement, but the governor said the union raised as many as nine new issues Saturday that would have cost the transit authority an additional $7 million.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/11/07/national/a031957S39.DTL&tsp=1

From Yahoo News (link is here (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091109/ap_on_re_us/us_philadelphia_transit_strike).)


Transit moving again in Philly after 6-day strike

By RON TODT, Associated Press Writer Ron Todt, Associated Press Writer

"PHILADELPHIA – Trolleys, subways and buses were running again Monday and riders were trickling back to the city's transit system after an early-morning contract agreement ended a crippling six-day strike.

Commuters awoke to news that the strike was over and that service would be restored in time for the morning rush. Many had been hitching rides, driving or taking regional rail lines as they struggled to get to work for nearly a week.

...

About 5,000 workers for Transport Workers Local 234 walked off the job early Nov. 3 in a dispute centered around pension benefits."


The article did not disclose the proposed contract terms.

Since the ratification vote won't be held for about a week and half, I suppose it is possible the proposed contract could be rejected and they could go back out on strike.

The article did not disclose the proposed contract terms.

I'd be real interested to see what they end up with in this economy. If you do see something down the line, let us know.

Since the ratification vote won't be held for about a week and half, I suppose it is possible the proposed contract could be rejected and they could go back out on strike.

Theoretically but my impression is that what the SEPTA union bosses say is "good" is pretty much going to be approved by the rank and file.