Strike Ends
\PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Trolley cars and subway trains were back on track Saturday and buses were rolling again after a 40-day transit strike that aggravated the daily commutes of 450,000 regular riders.
Officials also promised there would be no fare hikes or service cuts.
``I hope customers will give us a try agai
A tentative contract agreement Friday ended the strike that began June
1. To win back riders who have taken cars, bicycles - even skateboards - to work in the meantime, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority offered free rides through Tuesday and discounts in the coming weeks. n,'' general manager Jack Leary said Friday, with the sound of rolling subway cars audible in the background.
Among those glad about the settlement was rider Rasul Shareiff, 20, who was ready to put away his alternative transportation - a skateboard - and jump back on the bus.
``It's been too inconvenient,'' Shareiff said. ``I'm ready for a good ride again.''
City officials and the Transport Workers Union Local 234 reached an accord giving the city's 5,200 drivers and mechanics a 9 percent raise over three years and sending the hotly contested issue of hiring part-time workers to an arbitrator.
Under the agreement, the average TWU member's pension benefits will increase by about 32 percent, but the deal also introduces limits on workers' compensation benefits for at least some employees.
The deal also lengthens the amount of time it takes to reach top
scale, from 30 months to 48 months. Union members will vote on
ratification July 24.
The strike brought street and highway gridlock as more commuters used
their cars. Others living within walking distance trudged to
workplaces. Many rode bicycles, including one immigrant who learned to
ride a bicycle so he could get to work and died after smashing into a
truck.
Businesses catering to commuters near bus and train stations saw
profits plummet. The strike also brought dozens of mass demonstrations
and numerous court injunctions amid on-and-off negotiations.
For rank-and-file union members, the hardship of a lengthy strike paid
off, transit worker Dan Gaitan said.
``Forty days was well worth it,'' said Gaitan, 36. ``I was ready to
stick this out ... because it was all about SEPTA trying to break the
union. We were determined not to let that happen.''
Negotiations stalled on points including the hiring of part-time
employees, disputed work rule changes, workers' compensation reform
and a zero tolerance policy for drug and alcohol users.
``It was a hard and difficult battle, a lot of bitterness, a lot of
hard feelings,'' said Steven Brookens, president of the TWU local.
``We deserved everything we got. It was a victory. We took more than
we gave.''
If the agreement is ratified, the strike will have been the
second-longest by the union against SEPTA. In 1977, workers walked out
and remained off the job for 44 days in a strike over wages and
benefits.
SEPTA Welcomes Riders Back With Free Service and a `Kiss'
PHILADELPHIA, July 13, 1998 /PRNewswire/ -- SEPTA is welcoming CityTransit Division riders back to the SEPTA system by offering free daily service through Tuesday (July 14). In addition, SEPTA will provide thousands of afternoon peak-hour riders today with a special surprise including a chocolate kiss, a Philadelphia Daily News paper and a SEPTA pocket map.
Service across the SEPTA system has been free since Saturday (July 11) following the announcement of an agreement with Transport Workers Union Local 234 on Friday. The free daily service will continue through tomorrow (July 14).
The special afternoon treat will be offered today to riders at a number of SEPTA locations including the Fern Rock Transportation Center; and Oregon and Walnut-Locust Stations on the Broad Street Line; Frankford Terminal and Girard Stations on the Market-Frankford Line; and 40th street & Baltimore Avenue on the subway-surface trolley system.
Because of the free post-strike service, SEPTA said that riders who
purchased a weekly pass for the week of July 13 can trade it in to
receive a credit on a similar pass. Riders with a July monthly pass
will also be eligible for a credit on an August monthly pass.
An announcement of additional fare incentives will be made later this
week.
For additional information call 215-580-7800.