Commuters expressed a collective sigh of relief Monday
morning, as SEPTA's Regional Rail trains were running on schedule.
A weekend strike by 400 workers was short-lived after
President Barack Obama forced the creation of a presidential emergency board to
mediate the contract dispute between SEPTA and its engineers and electricians
unions. Obama called for "a swift and smooth resolution" and his
actions mean that the unions will not be able to strike until the PEB expires
in another 240 days.
But does that just mean the unions will strike in February?
The two sides have 30 days to submit a report to Obama's board their plans for
resolving the dispute. Then the mediation will continue.
SEPTA spokesperson Jerri Williams still used some strong
rhetoric in a statement released Monday morning. After detailing how it has
offered the unions increased pay ($3 per hour to IBEW and $2.60 per hour to
BLET), Williams said union leadership "made it abundantly clear that they
wanted to go on strike." That was after SEPTA asked the union for a
two-week extension.
But Terry Gallagher, president of the International
Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, touted the president's intervention, saying
it was "what we were waiting for."
Does that mean both sides will negotiate in good faith?
We'll have to wait and see.
Source: Philadelphia
Business Journal
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