Transport workers strike, causing public transportation issues

November 6, 2009  
Filed under Archives, Opinion Archives

By Ana Billotti
Round Table reporter

A strike in Philadelphia has been going on since November 3, creating problems for commuters trying to get work.

Buses and subways were not in use due to the strike, causing commuters to have to find another way to get to work by either walking, carpooling, biking, or even calling a cab.

Transport Workers Union Local 234 went on strike at 3 a.m. because they did not receive the pay raise they wanted.

The workers had asked for an annual raise of 4 percent, and they also wished to keep the 1 percent of pay that employees contributed toward the cost of their health care coverage.

Local 234 union representatives walked out of a negotiation talk on November 2 and called for the strike to begin at 3 a.m. the following morning.

I personally do not understand how an entire union can just walk out and no longer be willing to negotiate when the buses and subway trains they drive are needed everyday by the public.

In a time such as this where people are losing their jobs they rely heavily on public transportation to get to and from work. The buses and subs are needed and, without them being available to the public, it is extremely difficult for people to get to work on time.

Yes, negotiations had been going on for awhile, but they should not have walked out. The union representatives should have continued to negotiate until they had finally reached an agreement everyone would be happy with.

It might have taken longer than wanted, but at least it would not have caused problems with the general public who did nothing wrong.

I am hoping that things are decided quickly so that commuters are no longer put in a difficult position of trying to figure out how they are getting to and from work.