Brown: Nutter "cut out" of future negotiations; SEPTA's offer not good enough | Philly

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Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Brown: Nutter "cut out" of future negotiations; SEPTA's offer not good enough

The transit workers union fired a shot across the bow of Mayor Nutter and criticized SEPTA’s pension offer at a morning press conference.

Willie Brown, president of Transport Workers Union Local 234, said that Nutter is "cut out” of future negotiations with SEPTA.

Nutter “has brought nothing” to the table, Brown said, adding, “I will not meet him” because of the attacks the mayor has leveled at the union.

Brown said that the strike is primarily about funding for workers’ pensions, which he called “grossly underfunded.”

Union pensions are currently funded at about 52 percent, while management pensions are at about 95 percent — a point that Brown emphasized repeatedly.

He also called the 11-percent offer that Nutter and Rendell said SEPTA made to increase wages “totally, totally false.”

“We will accept that” deal, Brown said.

In a statement, the union argued that the 11-percent increase over 5 years would be mostly wiped out by increases in workers’ out-of-pocket pension contributions. It was not immediately clear whether the union acknowledged the existence of this offer, given Brown's comments at the press conference.

Brown declined to take questions and did not explain further how the governor and mayor allegedly misrepresented SEPTA’s offer.

Brown had nicer things to say about Gov. Rendell. Though he said that the numbers Rendell is circulating are misleading, “the governor is entitled to say what he wants to say” because he has offered state money to help close a deal.

A union spokesman said that the governor was meeting with SEPTA today and with the union tomorrow. No negotiations with the transit agency have been scheduled

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Posted by Anthony Campisi @ 2:45 PM Permalink | 30 comments

Comments

Posted 03:38 PM, 11/04/2009

CleanupPhilly

It's not legal, I believe, for the governor to allow Septa to use "economic development funds" for Septa salaries and benefits. This is pretty obvious to the journalists, right? This money is ear-marked by the state for a specific use, economic development. That is why Septa is crumbling, all this money gets looted by goons who won't pay their market average rate of contribution into their own pensions.

Posted 03:40 PM, 11/04/2009

CleanupPhilly

The TWU is blocking entrances to operating transit companies, KYW reports. This is illegal. Where are the arrests? Where are the two local papers in reporting this, when the radio stations have been reporting on it all day? Enough is enough, really. There is no way I support any politician "giving" taxpayer funds earmarked for economic development to the low brow unions who are attempting maximum harm on the economy. It's a shakedown.

Posted 03:46 PM, 11/04/2009

CleanupPhilly

The TWU has declared war on Philly. I won't get on a regional rail or other operating train right now, after I saw that train car-B-que this morning. The union is trying to terrorize riders to cripple the system. This is like negotiating with an Afghani warlord. Septa has the legal right to fire and hire at will where there is no contract, period. A good faith effort was made, and the union walked away. The papers should have the fiber to report on management's rights and the rights of riders to be able to expect nonunion labor to be used while this strike continues and after.

Posted 03:52 PM, 11/04/2009

tbtante

He said, he said. This is so sickening. Maybe Fast Eddie can help get this settled since it appears that Muppet Mike is doing his usual nothing.

Posted 03:56 PM, 11/04/2009

bobnewhart

Please fire everyone immediately, so we can hire new workers! This is B.S.! I took a 20% paycut this year, pay way more of my personal healthcare. Who do they think they are? They barely do anything anyway. They don't make change, smoke illegally, watch t.v. and talk on their cell phones. Is this what America has become? With a college degree I make less or the same money. What is wrong with this picture?

Posted 03:57 PM, 11/04/2009

MikeD930

To start the union should reduce the amount collected from its members to reduce out of pocket expenses. And why is the union pension plan so under funded? Is SEPTA not paying their pension liabilities or is pension trustee mismanagement to blame? I do believe that SEPTA not paying pension liabilites would be rather big news.

Posted 03:58 PM, 11/04/2009

JoJoJazz

Another example of this unions grip on the city. To allow this union, or any organization for that matter, to essentially hold the city hostage is irresponsible on the part of the city leaders. If amicable agreements can't be reached maybe this arm of Septa should be privatized. It's a shame that the "political machine" that we hear so much about in Philadelphia does not have the courage to protect the residents as much as personal interests. Given the fact that the country is reaching double digit unemployment magnifies the obscene nature of this unions representatives. We need to bring back Ronald Reagan to deal with this as was the case with the Air Traffic Controllers...

Posted 04:00 PM, 11/04/2009

batt21

People in Philly are weak they refuse to stand up!! This is how the TWO is able to pull this BS off. Regardless of what the outcome I am assured of one thing, My TAXES WILL GO UP and I will pay a higher fare considering this is a government sponsored entity.

Posted 04:01 PM, 11/04/2009

NickEeee

THE UNION DOESN'T CARE ABOUT THE RIDERS (because if they did, they're not calling a strike at 3 am), so why should we care about the Union!?! If Willie Brown doesn't like Mayor Nutter, it just makes Mayor Nutter MORE of a HERO in my book. i hope these guys spend the ENTIRE WINTER on the picket line. They'll get EXACTLY what they deserve.

Posted 04:03 PM, 11/04/2009

chrissmith

Don't worry, Willie, in 2010 Pennsylvania is electing a GOP governor. So you won't have to worry at all about the governor's involvement. He simply WON'T be involved. People are really, really tired of all this union nonsense and backslapping. It stinks.

Posted 04:07 PM, 11/04/2009

kelprod1

TWU members should be "cut out" of their jobs...and any politician who truly cares about the common good should get that process rolling this afternoon. Too bad the local leadership is all democratic and in bed with these filthy unions.

Posted 04:10 PM, 11/04/2009

Tacklebury

I wish I had one of those food carts that park on sidewalks. I'd park it right in front of these picketers up in North Philly but refuse to sell them anything. Fat f***ers, that would drive em nuts. We need to think of ways to "terrorize" them like this, since they're terrorizing the city.

Posted 04:12 PM, 11/04/2009

bill at

Fat Willie is clearly lying to his membership. This bloated, uneducated, idiotic clown is straight out of central casting. And this is who our elected 'leadership' is on their knees to. And why? Votes and money. Pathetic, all the way around.

Posted 04:20 PM, 11/04/2009

RAP_SUX

I'm really impressed with Fast Eddie's aggressiveness in trying to bring an end to the Strike.

Posted 04:21 PM, 11/04/2009

Paula513

The Pension Fund is underfunded because of the stupendous losses due to the economic meltdown on Wall St. They are in no worse shape than any other defined benefit plan.

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EXCLUSIVE: UNION PRESIDENT SPEAKS OUT

It's Our Money's Ben Waxman interviews TWU Local 234 president Willie Brown on why he called the strike when he did, what it's like to be more hated than A-Rod, and what it will take the union to go back on the job. Click here to see the exclusive interview.

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Ben Waxman reports and blogs for “It's Our Money.” Before joining “It's Our Money,” he was a regular contributor to the Philadelphia Daily News op-ed page and former contributor to the blog Young Philly Politics. He studied political science at Juniata College in Huntingdon, PA.

Doron Taussig is the Project Manager for “It's Our Money.” He is also a graduate student in communications at Temple University. Previously he worked as a Staff Writer and News Editor for the Philadelphia City Paper.

Dave Merrell is the Web Editor for "It's Our Money." He comes to the project from Philly.com, where he is a web producer. Originally from upstate New York, he moved to Philadelphia after graduating from Haverford College with a degree in math and economics.

Anthony Campisi reports and blogs for "It's Our Money." Originally hailing from Central Jersey, he came to Philadelphia while a student at the University of Pennsylvania, where he studied intellectual history. He also writes about transportation for PlanPhilly, an innovative urban planning website started by PennPraxis, the consulting arm of the Penn School of Design.