Spring Break
Who SEPTA Really Hurts
Editorial Board
Issue date: 11/6/09 Section: Ed-Op
Dear SEPTA,
On behalf of Drexel commuters, professors and co-op students alike, we'd like to extend our appreciation for your services. You are the reason many of us are able to get to class or work everyday at a reasonable rate.
Sure, sometimes we become irate when your machines eat our tokens or your trains leave the platform without us, but we eventually get over it.
Now it's your turn.
We completely understand that your employees would like to get pension. Who wouldn't?
However, when you strike over even such a legitimate reason, you affect thousands of people. Many of us can no longer get to class or work with trains and buses out of service. And as a result we are forced to pay outrageous cab fares and create more traffic than is necessary. Oh, and try crossing Market Street during rush hour. It's seriously like playing "Frogger" all over again.
Frankly, this is getting out of control-just like the fire that burned a car on the R5 train. And it's only been a few days.
There's nothing wrong with asking for added benefits, but at what cost? We are experiencing one of the worst recessions in recent history. Employees across the country are getting laid off, taking pay cuts and getting their hours cut. The population of the United States has been making sacrifices; why should SEPTA workers be exempt?
The Transportation Workers Union should realize that going on strike doesn't really "stick it to the man." It sticks it to the workingman. Economically strapped college students and hard-working people use public transportation. Company bosses and politicians take private cars. Many of the people that are out of a ride in this strike actually make less than a SEPTA worker would.
Announcing the strike at 3:00 a.m. on a Tuesday was a particularly heinous act. Apparently in the birthplace of our nation, baseball trumps democracy. Calling a strike on Election Day is appalling. We should all be alarmed that the World Series was the only event standing in between our city and commuting chaos.
On behalf of Drexel commuters, professors and co-op students alike, we'd like to extend our appreciation for your services. You are the reason many of us are able to get to class or work everyday at a reasonable rate.
Sure, sometimes we become irate when your machines eat our tokens or your trains leave the platform without us, but we eventually get over it.
Now it's your turn.
We completely understand that your employees would like to get pension. Who wouldn't?
However, when you strike over even such a legitimate reason, you affect thousands of people. Many of us can no longer get to class or work with trains and buses out of service. And as a result we are forced to pay outrageous cab fares and create more traffic than is necessary. Oh, and try crossing Market Street during rush hour. It's seriously like playing "Frogger" all over again.
Frankly, this is getting out of control-just like the fire that burned a car on the R5 train. And it's only been a few days.
There's nothing wrong with asking for added benefits, but at what cost? We are experiencing one of the worst recessions in recent history. Employees across the country are getting laid off, taking pay cuts and getting their hours cut. The population of the United States has been making sacrifices; why should SEPTA workers be exempt?
The Transportation Workers Union should realize that going on strike doesn't really "stick it to the man." It sticks it to the workingman. Economically strapped college students and hard-working people use public transportation. Company bosses and politicians take private cars. Many of the people that are out of a ride in this strike actually make less than a SEPTA worker would.
Announcing the strike at 3:00 a.m. on a Tuesday was a particularly heinous act. Apparently in the birthplace of our nation, baseball trumps democracy. Calling a strike on Election Day is appalling. We should all be alarmed that the World Series was the only event standing in between our city and commuting chaos.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Geneva Daniels
posted 11/09/09 @ 6:08 PM EST
I have just read the comments and I have to say they are right on the mark.Septa should begin to act like a civilized group not a bunch of sillies. Yes I understand they want a pension and had a small problem with their contracts' language. (Continued…)
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