Gov. Rendell: Transit Strike Would Be A "Black Eye" For City
Gov. Rendell just urged the Transport Workers Union, Local 234, to drop the threat of a strike this weekend if it is still making progress with SEPTA in negotiations for a new contract. Rendell said a strike while national attention is focused on the World Series games being played here by the Phillies and Yankees would be "a little bit of black eye" for the city but produce no real gains for the union since the series shifts back to New York City -- if necessary -- next week.
Gov. Rendell: Transit Strike Would Be A "Black Eye" For City
Chris Brennan
Gov. Rendell just urged the Transport Workers Union, Local 234, to drop the threat of a strike this weekend if it is still making progress with SEPTA in negotiations for a new contract. Rendell said a strike while national attention is focused on the World Series games being played here by the Phillies and Yankees would be "a little bit of black eye" for the city but produce no real gains for the union since the series shifts back to New York City -- if necessary -- next week.
"This is a great opportunity for the city to shine in these next three days," Rendell said of the series, with games scheduled at Citizens Bank Park tomorrow, Sunday and Monday. "It's not like the union can get leverage by doing this because the leverage goes away in three days. By the time the weekend is over, the leverage is gone. All they do is give the city a little bit of a black eye."
Rendell said he has not been asked to intervene in the contract dispute but would be happy to do so if asked. Here's a run-down of what SEPTA services would be impacted by a TWU Local 234 strike.
I am with Fast Eddie, don't pull this stunt while the country is watching.— robentcorp- but what will the union get in return from septa if they act in and continue to negoiate in good faith once the strike is over. i'll bet the same all you tools got from you're employers once they finished pillaging the company and shipping us jobs overseas.— phillyfansrdumb
Comment removed.- Comment removed.
- The best thing that Major League Baseball can do is pull the World Series back to New York for the weekend. This Union is a TOTAL, UGLY joke, and if these dogs dare call for a strike, they should be sued and then some. Once again we have the opportunity to show off our city to the nation and beyond. A transit strike would not only make us look stupid, but cost us business big time. I still can't get my trade group to consider Philly for even a regional meeting since the Subway Concourse Murder.— krapug1
- Maybe they can pick 3 union guys and 3 septa guys and field them as umpires this weekend.. Gotta be better that what major baseball puts out there...— manly
- Hopefully the city revolts on the union and finds a way to push them out, SEPTA is taken over by the city, and our transit system isn't held back any longer by the constraints of the outdated model of a labor union.— ryphilly8507
- Comment removed.
- This is my problem, if I did nothing for SIX MONTHS I'd be out the door in nothing flat. Yet another case of a "set of rules for me and a set of rules for everyone else"! SEPTA/TWU are pros at "hurry up and wait!" And the black eyes? They are all over the region thanks to these guys!
- Comment removed.
- Big Deal Eddie.....You were in bed with the unions when you were here....so YOU are part of the problem......you were a fraud mayor Ed— nuggett
- The crucial point in contract talks is that negotiations be done in good faith. A threat of a strike on a weekend of national attention to the city is bad will as bad as it gets.— DonQ
- union isn't even at the table, they should be forced back to work "With strike looming, union delays SEPTA talks" http://www.philly.com/inquirer/breaking/news_breaking/20091030_With_strike_looming__union_delays_SEPTA_talks.html— dreinterests
- If they strike during the world series, everybody who fails to show up for work should be fired and replaced with somebody who appreciates the opportunity to work. Septa wages average $52,000 per year, and many of these people have no qualifications other than a drivers license. By contrast, an assistant district attorney who pays for 4 years of college, 3 years of law school, is required to live in the city, and routinely works more than 40 hours per week, earns a salary of approximately $45,000. There is simply no way that a bus driver should be paid more than an assistant district attorney.— jfar86
- Comment removed.
Follow Chris on Twitter
David Gambacorta spent a small eternity writing about cops, drug dealers and serial killers. Now he’s writing about power and politics – which sometimes reminds him of the old crime beat. He joined the Daily News in 2005. And yes, he knows you’re not quite sure how to pronounce his last name. E-mail tips to gambacd@phillynews.com
Follow Dave on Twitter.
Jan Ransom, a native New Yorker, joined the Daily News in 2010 after graduating from Howard University. She has since written about the difficulty of filing police complaints, tax deadbeats and life after violent home invasions. She joined the Daily News City Hall Bureau in 2011 and has plunged headfirst into reporting on administration budget battles and City Council shenanigans. E-mail tips to ransomj@phillynews.com
Follow Jan on Twitter
Sean Collins Walsh is from Bucks County and went to Northwestern University. He joined the Daily News copy desk in 2012 and now covers the Nutter administration. Before that, he interned at papers including The New York Times, The Dallas Morning News and The Seattle Times. E-mail tips to walshSE@phillynews.com
Follow Sean on Twitter
