SEPTA issued a plan Wednesday
for its operations in the event of a labor strike next week.
It's not pretty. Regional
Rail would be the only public transportation option available within the city,
SEPTA reported. Regional Rail is already experiencing capacity issues as it
recovers from a loss of a third of its railcars this summer, SEPTA reported,
and people using it as an alternative to the Market-Frankford or Broad Street
Lines may face inconvenience.
"We ask everyone to be
prepared for very crowded trains and travel inconveniences," SEPTA said in
a statement. "If at all possible, we would encourage individuals and
businesses to consider adjusting their work/business hours, in the event of a
service interruption."
Less than a week from now
almost 5,000 SEPTA workers could walk off the job.
Among their number are
operators of the city's buses, subway cars, and trolleys. The existing contract
for members of Transportation Workers United Local 234 expires at 12:01 a.m.
Tuesday, at which point a strike will automatically begin if a new contract agreement
isn't reached.
Negotiations were ongoing
Wednesday, a union spokesman said. Both parties have offered competing
proposals to address the contract items under discussion, which include pension payments and the cost of health care for
workers. Union negotiators also are concerned about the downtime operators get
between routes, the amount of time off allotted between shifts, and the
variability of shifts. Some personnel are shuffled between night and daytime
shifts, the union said.
Regional Rail's schedule will
remain the same, though some express trains may make additional stops to
accommodate the greater passenger load. Passengers who don't have TransPasses
must purchase fares before boarding trains. SEPTA is posting its alternatives
plan, including tables showing how Regional Rail routes can substitute for
transit here.
SEPTA's services outside the
city will be largely unaffected. The Norristown High Speed Line and suburban
buses and trolleys will still operate, as well as the shuttle service that
loops through University City. SEPTA’s CCT service for travelers with
physical limitations will also operate, though SEPTA warned the transports may
be slower.
The plan is largely similar
to one used during the last TWU Local 234 strike, in 2009. That strike lasted
six days before it was resolved.
The union has noted a strike
could stretch into Election Day on Nov. 8. In 2009 the city saw a strike
overlap with an election, said Fred Voigt, deputy commissioner with the
Philadelphia Board of Commissioners, and it wasn’t disruptive, he said.
“Our voters walk to vote,
they don’t drive to vote,” Voigt said. “It had no effect whatsoever.”
More of a concern, he said,
was ensuring maintenance personnel are able to get to polling places in time to
unlock them before voters arrive. The Board of Commissioners, which oversees
elections in the city, is taking steps to ensure polls will open on time, he
said, though he declined to state specific steps being taken.
On Tuesday Mayor Kenney
sounded off on the strike, noting how many people rely on SEPTA's transit modes
to get around Philadelphia.
“Any work stoppage would have
an adverse effect on tens of thousands of commuters who rely on the buses,
trolleys, and subways to get to and from work and school – many of whom have no
other affordable transportation options,” he said. “ I urge both sides to
stay at the table and hammer out a resolution to their differences.”
The Philadelphia School
District reported it plans to remain open in the event of a strike.
"While SEPTA is
optimistic that negotiations will continue and an agreement will be reached,
the School District is preparing in the event of a service disruption,"
said deputy spokesman Harold Whack. "We have stayed open in the past and
will continue to monitor the situation."
Source: Philly.com
No comments:
Post a Comment