Willie Brown did not mince words: If SEPTA management
doesn't budge on pensions during next week's negotiations, there's a "real
possibility" of a strike. The president of the TWU Local 234 said that the
main sticking points are pensions, health care and SEPTA's handling of employee
grievances. TWU, SEPTA's largest union, has been working without a contract
since March.
"With us, it’s not a question of if we strike it’s a
question of when we strike," said Brown who has more than 5,000 workers in
his union. "That’s how far apart we are."
Any strike would affect buses and subways but not
regional rail trains (they're governed by another union. More on their labor
negotiations later). Representatives from the TWU and SEPTA have not met
face-to-face since July but have been communicating via email, Brown said. They
have meetings scheduled for October 14, 15 and 16.
"My intention is not to go on strike, my intention
is to work out a contract ...," said Brown who said he has not yet called
for a vote to strike. "If they refuse to negotiate and won’t budge on
pensions, we have to do what we have to do."
SEPTA's Director of Media Relations Jerri Williams said she's
hopeful that the negotiations are fruitful and a strike can be avoided.
"We understand that it's important for the union to
feel that we're negotiating," said Williams. "So we'll have a chance
to discuss our side and make our points, and the union can make their points.
Hopefully we can find common ground."
She declined to go into specifics on the sticking points
in the negotiations or just how far apart both sides are.
Regional Rail
Workers Have Their Own Complaints
Regional rail workers, many of whom are in the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, have been working without a
contract for five years. But they will likely have to wait until February to
institute a strike. After a one-day strike in June alongside the International
Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, they were forced to comply with a 120-day
cooling off period instituted by the Presidential Emergency Board. It's likely
to enforce a second one that will last until February.
What happens next is anybody's guess. Sure, both unions
are negotiating with SEPTA, but the possibility exists that both go on strike
at the same time — meaning a system wide shutdown in February. No trains. No
buses. No subways. No trolleys.
But Brown and Steve Bruno, vice president of the
locomotive engineers union, said they are not coordinating with one another to
institute a work stoppage in February.
"We are not coordinating our strike date," said
Bruno. "We have no desire to do that."
Brown agreed: "Neither one of us have the mindset to
cause such a big event."
For TWU, Pensions
at Top of Agenda
Brown provided this example to highlight the fight over
pensions: If a SEPTA management employee contributes $1,700 per year to the
pension plan, they'll receive $8,000 per month when they retire. If a union
employee contributes the same amount, they'll get $2,500 per month.
Back in the spring, Brown said he wouldn't negotiate
until SEPTA delivers better data about what's driving its need for increased
healthcare contributions. Now, he says they have, and the health care issue is
close to being resolved. Basically, the union wants a two-year deal because
they're unsure how health care reform will affect the plan going forward. Brown
seemed positive about "getting something worked out" on the health
care front.
But now pensions have jumped to the top of the union
agenda.
Employee
Grievances
A new TWU-SEPTA contract would likely have to deal with
the company's handling of employee grievances. SEPTA deals with grievances over
dismissals first, then handles other matters. Brown argues that the process can
take two to three years to complete, something Brown says needs to change.
"These issues need to get that resolved
faster," he said.
SEPTA's Williams said that "if that's one of the
things they want to discuss next week, we'll discuss it."
Regional Rail
Unions Concerned About Safety
Safety is a big issue for the regional rail workers.
Bruno claims that SEPTA has an "inability to address turnover with proper
training and staffing" which has led to workers being fatigued due to a
14-hour work days, six day weeks and being called on short notice.
“We're heading for a Metro North kind of accident here”,
he said referring to a 2013 train collision in Connecticut.
Williams said that safety hasn't been an issue in
negotiations with the union and said that SEPTA is in full compliance of all
federal safety regulations and mandates. Still, she said, SEPTA is happy to
discuss any safety concerns that are brought up.
While the transit authority is in compliance, Bruno says
it's not good enough.
"We believe it is appropriate to have a sufficient
margin from safety standards," said Bruno. "Why walk on edge of
building when there’s plenty of room on the right?"
When asked if he's thinking of possibly calling for a
vote to strike, Bruno said simply: "Without a doubt. We waited five years
to negotiate with septa we will exercise and economic leverage we have up to
and including a strike."
Pay Raise Fight
Although they haven't got a pay raise since the contract
expired, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen workers are in
for an 11.5 percent pay increase (which was negotiated back in 2009 and
encapsulates pay raises from then until now). But they're fighting over when it
kicks in.
The union wants the pay raises to start August 27, 2014,
meaning workers will get a bit of retroactive pay whenever a deal is completed.
SEPTA wants the pay raises to kick in when the bargaining is finished and a
deal has been ratified. Union officials say that ratification could take
another 30 days.
Workers had been fighting for pay raises retroactive to
their last contract in 2009 but stopped requesting that after the Presidential
Emergency Board came out against it.
Source: Philadelphia
Business Journal
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