Spring Break
SEPTA strike delayed, more funds approved
Craig Eisenberger
Issue date: 3/11/05 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
April 15 will be the new date of a strike for more than 5,000 workers of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority.
The original date was set for March 15, however the head of the Transport Workers Union Local 234 Jeff Brooks, accepted a one-month extension offered by SEPTA to give riders some relief.
"Our objective is a partnership with the riding public, not just to pull the trigger just because I can," Brooks said.
SEPTA announced that the extension will give time so that negotiations can take place to reach a new agreement.
"We have been talking about the extension for several days," SEPTA spokesman Richard Maloney said. "Given the complexity and number of issues that are outstanding, the extra time will enable us to sit down in a very professional way and knock them off."
Health care costs are the reason for the disputes, with SEPTA wanting Local 234 members to contribute regularly to the cost of their health care.
The announcement comes around the same time that the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission unanimously approved the transfer of $42.5 million in federal highway funding to close SEPTA's budget gap.
"SEPTA's deficits will only increase over time," Donald Shanis, transportation director of the DVRPC said. "People are concerned that there will not be enough money to maintain and operate and modernize the highway system."
This was after Governor Edward Rendell's announcement of the appropriation of $666 million in new highway funds from the Department of Transportation. The governor plans to put $412 million of that money toward stabilizing state transit agencies until 2007.
At the same time last year, the issue of health care was on the table, and SEPTA workers were ready to strike. Former union chief Jean Alexander agreed to a one-year contract with SEPTA, which preserved existing benefits with the hope of giving officials time to increase mass-transit funding. Typically, SEPTA and Local 234 agree to three-year contracts.
The Local 234 includes 79 bus and trolley routes that operate in Philadelphia, as well as the Broad Street and Market-Frankford transit routes.
The original date was set for March 15, however the head of the Transport Workers Union Local 234 Jeff Brooks, accepted a one-month extension offered by SEPTA to give riders some relief.
"Our objective is a partnership with the riding public, not just to pull the trigger just because I can," Brooks said.
SEPTA announced that the extension will give time so that negotiations can take place to reach a new agreement.
"We have been talking about the extension for several days," SEPTA spokesman Richard Maloney said. "Given the complexity and number of issues that are outstanding, the extra time will enable us to sit down in a very professional way and knock them off."
Health care costs are the reason for the disputes, with SEPTA wanting Local 234 members to contribute regularly to the cost of their health care.
The announcement comes around the same time that the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission unanimously approved the transfer of $42.5 million in federal highway funding to close SEPTA's budget gap.
"SEPTA's deficits will only increase over time," Donald Shanis, transportation director of the DVRPC said. "People are concerned that there will not be enough money to maintain and operate and modernize the highway system."
This was after Governor Edward Rendell's announcement of the appropriation of $666 million in new highway funds from the Department of Transportation. The governor plans to put $412 million of that money toward stabilizing state transit agencies until 2007.
At the same time last year, the issue of health care was on the table, and SEPTA workers were ready to strike. Former union chief Jean Alexander agreed to a one-year contract with SEPTA, which preserved existing benefits with the hope of giving officials time to increase mass-transit funding. Typically, SEPTA and Local 234 agree to three-year contracts.
The Local 234 includes 79 bus and trolley routes that operate in Philadelphia, as well as the Broad Street and Market-Frankford transit routes.
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