# SEPTA On Strike



## chuljin (Nov 3, 2009)

> PHILADELPHIA — Commuters scrambled to find other ways to get to their destinations as Philadelphia transit system's largest union went on strike early Tuesday, stalling the city's buses, subways and trolleys a day after the World Series shifted to New York.
> The strike by Transport Workers Union Local 234 will all but cripple a transit system that averages more than 928,0000 trips each weekday.


Article here.

Figures. As I write this, I am in my hotel room in Philadelphia, where I was going to railfan today.


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## AlanB (Nov 3, 2009)

You can still ride Commuter rail, although getting to it could be a problem and it's likely to be very crowded. Frankly commuter is nicer anyhow, just know that there are no bathrooms on the trains.

There is also PATCO, which provides a nice ride over the Ben Franklin Bridge and views of the City. And from PATCO you can also ride NJT's River Line and/or go to Lindenwold and return on NJT's Atlantic City service.

Finally of course there is always Amtrak's Keystones.


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## battalion51 (Nov 3, 2009)

The good news is that they Union at least held off while the World Series was being played. If you shut down the Subway you would've had a nightmare. I've driven to Citizens Bank and taken the train, either way it's not fun, I can't imagine if EVERYONE was forced to take a car in what the nightmare would be. Either way you have to get to Geno's at some point for a Whiz With. :lol:


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## chuljin (Nov 3, 2009)

As it turns out, I still had plenty to entertain me. Regional Rail, and the 100 and 101 lines were still running (and 102, but it is bustituted past Drexel Hill Jct, so it is essentially a truncated 101). And of course PATCO and NJT.

More details will be in my post-gathering trip report, but today:

Walk from Penn's Landing (where my hotel is) to Suburban Station

R6 to Norristown TC

100 to 69th St

101 to Media

R3 to 30th

NJT to Lindenwold

PATCO to 15th/16th

Walk to Penn's Landing

(pauses here and there, of course...Liberty complex and so on)

Tomorrow:

Walk to SEPTA headquarters at 1234 Market and the museum there

Walk or something (*shudders* taxi?) to Geno's and back to 8th/Market

PATCO to WRTC

RiverLINE to Trenton

NJT NEC to NWK

PATH to (near) NYP


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## Guest (Nov 3, 2009)

chuljin said:


> As it turns out, I still had plenty to entertain me. Regional Rail, and the 100 and 101 lines were still running (and 102, but it is bustituted past Drexel Hill Jct, so it is essentially a truncated 101). And of course PATCO and NJT.
> More details will be in my post-gathering trip report, but today:
> 
> Walk from Penn's Landing (where my hotel is) to Suburban Station
> ...


1234 Market is closed for the strike. (at least the store is)


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## MrEd (Nov 4, 2009)

A Philadelphia commuter train caught fire Wednesday, complicating the morning rush already hampered by the city's transit strike. Officials said no injuries were reported.

The cause of the blaze was unknown, but it was possibly an electrical fire, said Richard Maloney, a spokesman for Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority. He did not elaborate.

Flames could be seen shooting from the front of the SEPTA regional train shortly after 7 a.m. Wednesday. A big cloud of smoke also billowed from the train, which was heading east from the Overbrook station in West Philadelphia toward the Amtrak station in Center City.


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## FrankStar (Nov 4, 2009)

It was a lovely 2-mile walk to the Market East station this morning to catch my commuter train to Delaware.

The TWU is really hated by Philadelphians who rely on public transport.


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## FrankStar (Nov 4, 2009)

This is getting ugly.

The Union president said the Mayor was "cut out" of future negotiations:

http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/our-mon...ood_enough.html

Picketers also blocked traffic from 69th St. terminal, stopping even those Septa vehicles operated by workers who weren't on strike:

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking...to_suburbs.html

There were also reports that striking workers were driving their own vehicles around Philadelphia and intentionally blocking traffic.


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## DET63 (Nov 4, 2009)

Nice to see that the union leadership cares about the common man, the little guy, the one who always gets picked on.


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## Dutchrailnut (Nov 4, 2009)

DET63 said:


> Nice to see that the union leadership cares about the common man, the little guy, the one who always gets picked on.



Idon't see common person caring about Union not having contract for far longer than required ??


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## PRR 60 (Nov 5, 2009)

Dutchrailnut said:


> DET63 said:
> 
> 
> > Nice to see that the union leadership cares about the common man, the little guy, the one who always gets picked on.
> ...


It may be splitting hairs, but the often-cited claim that the union was working without a contract is not technically correct. The Union had a contract until Tuesday morning, just not a new contract. The terms of the old contract - working rules, benefits, etc. - remained in force until one party to the contract says they do not. The TWU walked out, the old contract is now history, so now they have no contract. But until they walked, they indeed had a contract.


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## DET63 (Nov 5, 2009)

Willie Brown, TWU Local 234 President on Key Strike Issues



> PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- While other issues remain unsettled, the key issue is pensions and how worker pensions will be funded. The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) has under-funded member's pensions for more than 20 years.
> 
> SEPTA's board is demanding that TWU members pay for a greater share of their pension to make up for their mismanagement of the plan. Meanwhile SEPTA is increasing pension benefits for managers who make lower contributions -- which we find completely unfair.
> 
> ...


See? The TWU was looking out for the "little guy."


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## Philzy (Nov 6, 2009)

I don't know all the details, however from what I read, I'm having a hard time understanding what more they could want.

They apparently have a federal transportation pension which is a pretty good one. Their starting pay is almost double the US minimum wage somewhere around $14 to $15 an hour STARTING. They were asking for a 15% increase in wage, were offered a 11% increase and turned it down stating it wasn't enough. Oh ye, and the last part which shocked me, they were offered "no rise in healthcare or medical insurance costs" but turned that down too - um - i don't know any company tht doesn't have at least a small rise in health care costs...

Like I said I don't know all the finite details but i'd almost rather not know at this point. Considering what I've seen of the people who work little and get paid more than i do to do less work does bother me when they ask for more during a shaky economy and are offered a decent package even if only accepted for short term. They've now alienated pretty much the entire city from supporting them by going on strike.

I'm a big fan of supporting the little guy, but I'm also a fan of being realistic taking whats reasonable and not being greedy. You never know whats coming down the pipe.

How about putting something in their contract that Septa needs to start refurbishing equipment, or at minimum buying new rolling stock, then more people will be willing to ride SEPTA. more people riding means more fares, more fares means more profit and more profit means an easier time to get a wage increase. but that jsut makes too much sense.

While the regional rail is suppose to be still running, the day before yesterday I waited two hours at the airport for the R1 to go back into the city after just getting off a 3.5 hour flight. The train finally arrived, a 3 car, only to have a 4 car arrived just behind it on the same track, dispatch where were you? We ended up with a 7 car train going back to the city, quite an interesting ride.


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## amtrakwolverine (Nov 12, 2009)

well the strike is over but now there's a fair hike.



> Now that buses, subways and trolleys are running again after a six-day transit strike, SEPTA riders can brace for the next unpleasantness: a fare hike.


http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking...ling_again.html

the union president is a jerk. after all he said he had no problem being the most hated person.


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## DET63 (Nov 13, 2009)

> the union president is a jerk. after all he said he had no problem being the most hated person.


Just looking out for the "little guy" . . .


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## tp49 (Nov 13, 2009)

amtrakwolverine said:


> well the strike is over but now there's a fair hike.
> 
> 
> > Now that buses, subways and trolleys are running again after a six-day transit strike, SEPTA riders can brace for the next unpleasantness: a fare hike.
> ...


The fare increase was planned long before the strike.


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## DET63 (Nov 13, 2009)

tp49 said:


> amtrakwolverine said:
> 
> 
> > well the strike is over but now there's a fair hike.
> ...


Probably in anticipation of it, or at least expectation of the likely new contract.


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