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Philadelphia Transit Strike Strands Thousands Philadelphia Transit Strike Strands Thousands
(about 3 hours later)
PHILADELPHIA — Transit workers here went on strike early Tuesday, shutting down buses, trolleys and subways and forcing thousands of residents to find a different way to work. PHILADELPHIA — Transit workers here went on strike early Tuesday, halting bus, trolley and subway service, and forcing hundreds of thousands of people onto packed commuter trains and roads to get to work or school.
The strike by about 4,700 workers of Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority will affect some about 900,000 rides a day. Regional commuter rail lines were operating. The strike by about 4,700 workers of Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority shut down transit lines that normally provide nearly a million rides each weekday.
“Despite months of constructive and innovative proposals from our side of the table, management has refused to budge on key issues, including safety issues that would save lives and not cost Septa a dime,” the president of the local transit union, Willie Brown, told the media. “There is no new agreement, so we are on strike.” The authority’s regional rail service — the commuter lines that extend from the city into the suburbs — continued operating, providing an alternative in some parts of the city for riders who would usually take buses or subways. The commuter trains accepted transit passes and express trains made local stops to take on more passengers.
In a statement, officials with the transit authority, which is known as Septa, said the strike left of residents without a reliable way “to and from work, school and medical appointments.” But the regional rail service, which normally provides 130,000 rides a weekday, could absorb only a fraction of the overflow. Trains became crowded and some ran as much as an hour late into the Center City area. The transportation authority warned of possibly dangerous overcrowding on commuter rail platforms during the evening rush.
Bundled in a knit cap and white scarf, Brianna Pope-McBride stuffed her hands into her wool coat while waiting for the 7:43 regional train in 41-degree weather. The train was already 13 minutes late, and Ms. Pope-McBride laughed when asked if she would be late for work. Members of Transport Workers Union Local 234 had voted to go on strike at midnight if a contract settlement was not reached, and negotiations on Monday failed to produce an agreement. The union last walked out in 2009, in a strike lasting six days.
“Probably,” she said. “Despite months of constructive and innovative proposals from our side of the table, management has refused to budge on key issues, including safety issues that would save lives and not cost Septa a dime,” said Willie Brown, the local president. He said the two sides remained far apart on pension and health care issues, as well as scheduling and driver fatigue.
Normally, she takes a bus and then a subway, because the weekly passes cost her $12.50 less than the regional rail. Andrew Busch, a spokesman for the authority, released a statement saying, “Mr. Brown walked away from a contract offer that would have provided his members pay raises, enhanced pension benefits, maintained health care coverage levels and continued job security, while also remaining fair and affordable for the taxpayers and riders who fund Septa.”
“I’m just happy that Septa’s accepting the TransPasses,” she said of the fare that applies to every transportation option but the Regional Rail. Transit officials said they were hopeful that a tentative agreement would be reached before Election Day, next Tuesday, and urged the union to return to negotiations. If not, the agency said in a statement, it will go to court to ask for an injunction ordering employees back to work for that day, “to ensure that the strike does not prevent any voters from getting to the polls and exercising their right to vote.”
Transit officials said they were hopeful that a tentative agreement would be reached before Election Day and urged the union to return to negotiations. Mike Locasale, a commuter who usually takes the Market-Frankford subway line, took a regional train instead on Tuesday, and said he was half an hour late for work. Rushing through the Art Deco Suburban Station in the Center City, he said he planned to start out 30 minutes early on Wednesday and call an Uber taxi “to beat some of the traffic.”
“If we foresee an agreement will not come to pass, Septa intends to seek to enjoin the strike for Nov. 8 to ensure that the strike does not prevent any voters from getting to the polls and exercising their right to vote,” Septa said in a statement. Craig Chaney, 68, usually walks half a block to catch a bus to go to his medical checkups. Instead, “I had to walk about 10 blocks” to get to a regional rail station, he said, “which is bad, because I’ve had about three heart operations and I have to see doctors.” He left himself plenty of time, though, arriving at Suburban Station two hours early.
Mr. Brown told the media that the two sides remained far apart on pension and health care issues, as well as work-related issues such as scheduling and driver fatigue. Bundled in a knit cap and white scarf, Brianna Pope-McBride stood in 41-degree weather at the Tulpehocken regional rail station of the Chestnut Hill West Line, waiting for a train that was running late. Asked if she would be late for work, she laughed and said, “Probably.”
Transit officials urged patience from commuters relying on the regional lines, which are “already operating at near capacity.” Ms. Pope-McBride said she felt sorry for residents of South Philadelphia, where there are no regional rail stops.
“We ask everyone to be prepared for very crowded trains and travel inconvenience,” officials said.
Mayor Jim Kenney urged “both Septa and the Transport Workers Union to maintain communication despite the work stoppage.”Mayor Jim Kenney urged “both Septa and the Transport Workers Union to maintain communication despite the work stoppage.”
“Tens of thousands of Philadelphians rely on the buses, trolleys and subways,” Mr. Kenney said, “so it is vital for everyone that this situation be resolved as quickly as possible.”“Tens of thousands of Philadelphians rely on the buses, trolleys and subways,” Mr. Kenney said, “so it is vital for everyone that this situation be resolved as quickly as possible.”