Web Search powered by YAHOO! SEARCH

options

READER FEEDBACK

Union to SEPTA workers: Strike OK

By KITTY CAPARELLA
Philadelphia Daily News

caparek@phillynews.com 215-854-5880

LESS THAN A week before the World Series comes to Philadelphia, about 1,200 SEPTA union members yesterday voted unanimously to authorize the Transport Workers Union Local 234 to strike, which would disrupt nearly one million riders daily.

A strike could be called by the end of the week, depending on the progress of negotiations today and tomorrow, union leaders said after a standing-room-only meeting yesterday at the Sheet Metal Workers Hall in South Philadelphia.

"This is the last week we are going to work without a contract," said Willie Brown, local TWU president, whose more than 5,000 members have been working without a contract since March 15.

Yet Brown's message to World Series fans was this: "We're going to do everything we can not to have a strike."

Last week, both sides met for the first time since March and had "substantive talks," SEPTA spokesman Richard Maloney said.

"There's no reason under the sun why we shouldn't have a contract in the next few days," he added. "But we do have a strike-contingency plan."

At stake are wages, health care, pensions - and the money to pay for them - plus workplace issues including subcontracting, safety and seniority.

Brown said SEPTA offered no wage increases for the first two years and 2 percent for years three and four, whereas five years ago, when SEPTA was in worse financial shape, the membership received 3 percent wage increases for each year of the five-year contract.

SEPTA also wants employees to increase their health-care contributions from 1 percent to 4 percent, according to the union. SEPTA also wants to freeze the level of pension benefits.

The union does not want to increase its health-care contributions, but does want to increase its pension benefit to $100, up from $75, for every year of service. The union also wants to remove the cap for those earning more than $50,000 a year, so that their benefits are commensurate with their salaries.

Maloney would not comment on specifics in negotiations.

Five years ago, Brown said, "we lobbied and rallied. We went to Harrisburg to help [SEPTA] get their money."

Now, he said, SEPTA has dedicated funding, including: $68 million from the city; $489 million from Act 44, passed by the state legislature in July 2007 to address Pennsylvania's transportation-funding crisis; a 30 percent increase in ridership, of which 70 percent of the fares come from the city, and $211 million in stimulus money.

Brown said that 10 percent of the stimulus money can be used for operations.

But SEPTA spokesman Richard Maloney said: "The numbers are simply not correct." Ridership spiked last fall when motorists faced a $4-per-gallon gas prices as the economy spiraled downward, he said.

Since July 1, Maloney said, the transit agency has lost 5 percent of the riders due to more people being out of work and gas prices stabilizing.

As a result, he said, "We have a $5 million deficit," which he said could grow to $20 million by next June 30, the end of the fiscal year.

"When people work, ridership is up," Maloney said.

As for the claim that 10 percent of the stimulus money is used for operations, Maloney said union leaders are "mistaken." The stimulus money is for "shovel-ready" capital improvements to put more people to work, he said.

Jimmy McBride, TWU political director, said SEPTA wanted to eliminate 300 cleaners and 700 in building maintenance on the city side, and to subcontract out the work.

"They're good members," McBride said. "We cannot afford to have that on the city side."

In 2008, SEPTA had 4,700 TWU workers and 270 million riders in the city, and an additional 380 TWU workers and 55 million riders on regional bus and rail lines.

CURRENTLY SHOWING ON PHILLY.COM

A Philly girl's love for Michael Vick

Philly Uncorked: Cooking and wine

Mob Scene: Bad Cop

SnapGlow.TV: Frame your face

The Gossip with Marnie Hall: El Cafeito

Comments

Posted 05:30 AM, 10/26/2009

Mr. Bear

They better this worked out without disrupting the World Series.

Posted 06:51 AM, 10/26/2009

Mr. Bear

They better GET this worked out without disrupting the World Series.

Posted 07:01 AM, 10/26/2009

Trident252

If Nutter was a real Mayor, he would get these knuckleheads in a room and get this fixed now. If he allows them to hijack the World Series and Eagles/Cowboys, all hell is going to break loose.

Posted 07:21 AM, 10/26/2009

fozziebear

This will not happen because the City doesn't want to forfeit all those World Series dollars. Bob Brady has probably scheduled meetings with both sides.

Posted 08:32 AM, 10/26/2009

kelprod1

Gotta' love unions. Idiots all...

Posted 08:42 AM, 10/26/2009

johnny o

Marvelous.

Posted 08:45 AM, 10/26/2009

Xenocrisis

Today's unions seem intent on killing the economy.

Posted 08:46 AM, 10/26/2009

admin

I have a Masters degree and have not gotten a raise in 2 years and these idiots want a raise for not having an education? Any moron can operate a bus with minimal training. I don't see why they are aloud to have a union. Unions should be for skilled trades, not for unskilled labor. These losers should be happy they have a job without having an education.

Posted 09:03 AM, 10/26/2009

Great White Shark

I'm sure there are plenty of unemployed, non-skilled and semi-skilled people who can take their places without union representation. Labor Unions are a cancer in Philadelphia and America.

Posted 09:06 AM, 10/26/2009

John Psuedonym

Not only are they uneducated and unskilled, I would confidently wager that there is a large degree of nepotism in their ranks. How much do those people who sit behind the window AND DON'T SELL TOKENS OR MAKE CHANGE make? They're not low skilled they're no skilled. They don't do anything all day long. They should be replaced by a machine.

Posted 09:15 AM, 10/26/2009

ritmomente

Septa did such a terrible job for last year's World Series, that not showing up might be an improvement. The city should pull a Ronald Reagan and fire each and every one of them. Trolley drivers don't even have a steering wheel! I'm sure with the unemployment in this town, there are ample people willing to take the job and do it much better. Is it too much to ask for 24 hour service, change for $1, automated card passes (or barcodes that can be affixed on cellphones), etc. Also, I have to pay for my healthcare; it's time they do too. Put up or get out!

Posted 09:15 AM, 10/26/2009

boarder6915

@ admin - guess they didn't teach grammar in your masters classes. i'm fairly sure you mean allowed (dealing with permission) rather than aloud (dealing with sound). thanks, unskilled labor.

Posted 09:20 AM, 10/26/2009

Monster Joe

Can the lot of them at the earliest possibly convenience. Not now obviously, but as soon as it's practical dump them.

Posted 09:22 AM, 10/26/2009

Tyronne Coppel

Septa Union would be a perfect pitcher in the World Series, it always throws a Strike!!!

Posted 09:22 AM, 10/26/2009

notjetjew

This goes to show how UNIONS suck the life blood out of a business. SEPTA already is a subsidy of the government. Fire them all and hire new employees that want to work. To pull something like this with the W.C. at hand is a crimeand goes to prove that these people are scum at best. FIRE THEM ALL.