Philly Transit Workers Authorize Strike

Transit system workers in Philadelphia voted to authorize a union strike Sunday, less than a week before the Phillies play their first home game of the World Series, but a transit spokesman said he hopes a deal can be concluded before then.

Willie Brown, president of the Transport Workers Union Local 234, said the 4,700 workers voted overwhelmingly to allow him to call a strike if negotiations with the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority fail. Talks are slated to resume Monday.

Brown said he hoped a walkout would not affect the series, but he said workers have been without a contract since March and have not had a raise since December.

"This is the last week we're going to work without a contract," Brown said, while vowing to "leave no stone unturned" to reach a deal.

SEPTA spokesman Richard Maloney said he hopes an accord can be reached quickly.

"We made a lot of progress last week, and there's no reason why in next couple of days this shouldn't be done," he said.

Maloney said the company would have a contingency plan but declined to discuss details.

"It's too early for that," he said. "Our main concern should be getting a contract negotiated and signed, and that's our total focus."

A strike by subway and trolley operators, bus drivers, and mechanics would affect the Broad Street subway line from the center of Philadelphia 4 miles south to the sports stadiums. Also affected would be the Market-Frankford line from the city's northeastern section to the western suburbs, as well as surface trolleys and buses throughout the city.

The third and fourth games of the World Series are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday in Philadelphia, and a fifth game, if necessary, would also be in the city Monday. In addition, the Philadelphia Eagles are scheduled to play the New York Giants on Sunday afternoon.

A seven-day walkout by the union idled buses, subways and trolleys in 2005. SEPTA's commuter rail service would not be halted since its workers are represented by a different union.

[phlphl]

It's sad and stupid to use the World Series as a wedge for a union negotiation. If the transit workers have been without a contract since March, they can wait till AFTER the World Series to act out. What a creepy bunch of union reps to encourage this bad behavior. Once again, Philly looks like a joke in the national media.

FYI, my dad was a union steelworker, and I don't hate unions - but here's another stunning example of poor judgement on the part of union officials - which only leads to more people feeling like unions have no place.

You shouldn't check your good judgement at the door when you become a union official, but unfortunately - that's what we have here.

[MontrosMan]

Many people have the opinion that unions are no longer relevant. That they were needed at one time, but have outgrown their usefulness. I do not agree. I feel unions were never valuable. They destroyed towns like Pittsburgh and Detroit with their infinite greed. Let individuals negotiate their own contracts with their employers. If the individual doesn't like what they are offered, they are free to find employment elsewhere. Bottom line is, if they can't find a job that pays what they THINK they should be paid, then they are not WORTH what they think they should be paid. Free markets work every time.

[endurorob_5]

Nice work union. Philadelphias unemployment rate is over 10%. People can't pay their mortgages and are losing their homes. Tax revenuse are down. So what does the union do? Threaten to go on strike during the world series. Their is no place in this country any longer for unions.

[kno-1]

Way to Go Local 234! Workers Unite! It's not like corporate America and it's government is looking out for the worker. Which is obviously what we have seen since last October.

[jaykay3141]

This is not surprising. Philadelphia's transit companies have had poisonous labor-management relations for decades. Current management is only marginally better than the Dilbert-level incompetents that have run the system since the 1950s. While many line employees do work very hard, too large a percentage of them are simply content to kick back and collect a paycheck. The state created a "reform" commission a few years back but all it did was whitewash the whole mess.

Lincoln Steffens' evaluation is still correct a hundred years later: corrupt and contented.