Officials of the American Red Cross Penn-Jersey Blood Services Region obtained a temporary injunction later yesterday to keep pickets from Teamsters Local 929 from blocking exits to the division's headquarters at 8th and Spring Garden streets.

"Earlier today, we had to inform union members that a 2-year-old child's life depended on our blood delivery before they would allow a Red Cross vehicle to exit the yard to get the necessary blood products to the hospital," Anthony C. Tornetta, American Red Cross regional communications manager, said late yesterday.

"At that particular time we had pickets on line and we were informed by the American Red Cross of an emergency delivery that needed to go to Children's Hospital," said Carl London, Local 929's chief shop steward.

"We informed our line to let the blood through. No emergency blood deliveries will be blocked," London said. "We do not intend to put the public at any risk. We have families that receive blood."

The Penn-Jersey blood services region is independent of the American Red Cross unit headquartered at 23rd and Chestnut streets, which handles disasters and other problems.

The union represents about 110 employees who pack, ship and deliver blood to area hospitals, assist at blood drives and help maintain the Red Cross facility, Tornetta said.

London said the workers were not striking over economics but because they were being forced to work as many as 21 days in a row, without a break, and up to 14 to 16 hours a day, because of short staffing and because couriers were sometimes being used to replace them.

Tornetta said yesterday's union actions "refute their claim that this strike is about unfair labor practices."

He said the Teamsters "have indicated that this strike is about a pay raise for this year."

"The Red Cross was surprised when the union issued a strike notice after just one month of negotiating sessions," he added.

Staff writer Christine Olley contributed to this report.