Possible SEPTA strike (Philadelphia: middle-class, 2009, how much)

[waltlantz]

Largest SEPTA union votes to strike | Philadelphia Inquirer | 10/25/2009

You all can bicker about pro-union, anti-union sentiments. Just putting it out there.

From a neutral perspective, this could be interesting to watch unfold. On the one hand (if workers are to be believed) this is a usual case of management screwing workers and whatnot. But SEPTA says it's bleeding money.

Children and workers aside, this could be bad for SEPTA's image if many people from the burbs are unable to get to the World Series. Ridership would drop dramatically from some places, I bet. Support for large transit corporations always seem tenious in the suburbs anyway. The city could go either way. I don't think you'll see a union beat down ala Ed Koch's 70s NYC fiasco though.

Then again Regional Rail would still be running so it wouldn't be a total shut down.

[bryson662001]

Possible SEPTA strike

Same old same old.....seen one Septa strike, you've seen them all......so what else is new?

[solibs]

This is the 3rd or 4th "strike" in 10 years. Ho-hum.

Until they clean house with SEPTA management and bring in fresh blood I won't believe a word that comes out of 1234 Market St.

[Shino306]

Poor Septa employees, no wage increases and freeze pension benefits. Let's see, I work for a Fortune 100 company, we haven't had pay increases since 2008, which was really reflecting 2007's performance and our pension was permanently frozen this summer...no one "striked." Get a job with a real company and then you'll see how nice you have it.
Typical Union..
On the other topic, SEPTA is not financially solvent, if it was not constantly helped out by taxpayers/govt, then it would have gone belly-up long ago.

[slickvic277]

Hey Shino because YOUR wages didn't increase and YOUR pension is frozen then every else should suffer also?Septa is not financially staple because of gross miss-management not because of the union employees who show up to work everyday to make sure people like you can get to there jobs with there "real" company's.

Besides frozen wages and pensions are not the union's main concern,it's the out sourcing of work.Septa remains one of the most expensive p.t in the country and also received millions in stim. money and yet they wan't to out source large amounts of work to the south were you can get "mechanics" to work on the buss's and train's for $10 per hour and know health care or pension.

Septa has management out the ass lets take a look at THERE wages and beni's and at what they do on a day to day basis and see who's really over paid.

The union has really been very fair considering that the contract was up back in march! It amazes me how when big business and large company's do under handed things,cut wages,freeze pensions ,cut health care,out source work,all to maximize profit for share holders,ceo's and management,its o.k.,it's good business,it's capitalism.But when the employee's stand together to fight for what's fair and to protect THERE livelihood,there lazy,socialist,bully's,union thugs,etc,etc,etc.....

My father worked for septa for 38 years,He went to work everyday and dealt with some of the worst and dangerous people this city has to offer.He wasn't overpaid or lazy.I grew up in a row home in frankford and went to public high school. But because of his union I had health care and he had a pension and an income to support his family.

If any union or working people wish to strike or take any other legal action to protect there livelihood and family's I'll support them,maybe if more people would support them also instead of believing stereo types and assumptions we wouldn't be watching all the good middle class jobs leave the country.

[solibs]

Originally Posted by Shino306

Let's see, I work for a Fortune 100 company, we haven't had pay increases since 2008, which was really reflecting 2007's performance and our pension was permanently frozen this summer...

Do you get paid $11.83/hr to drive a 40 ft. bus down narrow city streets in all conditions while having to deal with the less savory elements of the public - and on top of it have to work your first couple of years on-call, with part-time hours?

When you introduce me to a bus driver that lives in a household that can be described as anything more than lower middle-class I'll be inclined to share your point of view.

I've worked in the public and private sectors and choosing a job is always a toss-up between the small paychecks and relative stability, benefits and 9-5 hours of the public sector vs. the paychecks that are 75% larger, the lack of bennies, the 60 hour weeks and general job insecurity after each project is finished.

But SEPTA isn't "broke" and they're certainly not broke because of wages or pensions. Fix healthcare on the national level and then we can talk.

SEPTA management has made one blunder after another that, in my estimation, has cost the agency about $1billion over the last decade. Half of that they blew on the El reconstruction and much more was wasted pursuing half-baked ideas like the Schuylkill Valley Metro. They've lost another $200 million in revenue over the last decade in stalling on fixing their fare media mess. Tokens in 2009? Are you kidding me? Don't even get me started.

You want to start restricting salaries and pensions? Start with the people responsible for the mess.

[Shino306]

Then they should make SEPTA financially competitive, by whatever means that takes, so they can be solvent and provide benefits for their employees.
I'm sorry, but we live in a capitalistic society, good, bad, or indifferent. Many other companies have outsourced labor. It's a reality of our times, deal with it, or make sure every single item you purchase from food, clothing, electronics, etc was grown, produced/manufactured, right here in PA.
It's a matter of economics, if someone can do just as good of job for less wages and benefits, you bet that most companies will go with that labor...at least those not beholden to Union contracts.

Also, I don't take Septa anywhere, except to the airport, so it's hardly a daily activity for me. Finally, next time please look at your spelling and grammar, your post/rant was almost unreadable being that it was so flawed with misspellings and grammatical errors.

Have a good day!

[Shino306]

Originally Posted by solibs

Do you get paid $11.83/hr to drive a 40 ft. bus down narrow city streets in all conditions while having to deal with the less savory elements of the public - and on top of it have to work your first couple of years on-call, with part-time hours?

When you introduce me to a bus driver that lives in a household that can be described as anything more than lower middle-class I'll be inclined to share your point of view.

I've worked in the public and private sectors and choosing a job is always a toss-up between the small paychecks and relative stability, benefits and 9-5 hours of the public sector vs. the paychecks that are 75% larger, the lack of bennies, the 60 hour weeks and general job insecurity after each project is finished.

But SEPTA isn't "broke" and they're certainly not broke because of wages or pensions. Fix healthcare on the national level and then we can talk.

SEPTA management has made one blunder after another that, in my estimation, has cost the agency about $1billion over the last decade. Half of that they blew on the El reconstruction and much more was wasted pursuing half-baked ideas like the Schuylkill Valley Metro. They've lost another $200 million in revenue over the last decade in stalling on fixing their fare media mess. Tokens in 2009? Are you kidding me? Don't even get me started.

You want to start restricting salaries and pensions? Start with the people responsible for the mess.

Weren't you advocating in another post, how much "opportunity" there is here in Philadelphia. If they don't like their jobs, then they can get new better paying ones because there is so much "opportunity" in Philly, correct?
All, I'm saying is fix whatever problems have led SEPTA to it's current problems and I apologize for not having sympathy for people that MAYBE won't have a pay-raise this year or have their pensions frozen given the economic reality America is in today and the "jobless recovery" they're predicting.

[slickvic277]

Who cares,Its not a spelling contest!Good luck with your job,hopefully you won't be replaced by some one cheaper and less experienced all in the name of capitalism.
But if you are,you can just deal with it because it's the times we live in and there isn't anything you can do about it!
Hey maybe one of the thousands of people looking for work can come and take your job at a fraction of the price.
It's the attitude of people such as yourself that make it almost impossible for people like me to make sure all the goods and resources that I purchase come from our country let alone our own state.
Who care's about anyone else? Right Shino,screw'em.As long as your not inconvenienced.
What a joke!

[Shino306]

Originally Posted by slickvic277

Who cares,Its not a spelling contest!Good luck with your job,hopefully you won't be replaced by some one cheaper and less experienced all in the name of capitalism.
But if you are,you can just deal with it because it's the times we live in and there isn't anything you can do about it!
Hey maybe one of the thousands of people looking for work can come and take your job at a fraction of the price.
It's the attitude of people such as yourself that make it almost impossible for people like me to make sure all the goods and resources that I purchase come from our country let alone our own state.
Who care's about anyone else? Right Shino,screw'em.As long as your not inconvenienced.
What a joke!

Everyone is entitled to their opinion and I was just stating how companies work. Yes, capitalism has traditionally been the American way and if I laid off, which is highly unlikey for many reasons I won't divulge on a public forum, it's really no big deal for me personally for other reaons I won't divulge.
No need to get so bent out of shape...