The City of Brotherly Union Militants

Oppressed city workers go out on strike

from AP: The first day of a transit strike caused widespread delays and frustrated thousands of commuters who had to find other ways to get around Pennsylvania's largest city. On Wednesday, there will be an even greater test of how Philadelphia can cope without its bus, subway and trolley system as public schools, which were closed for Election Day, reopen. On an average weekday, about 54,000 public and parochial students use the city's transit system to get to school. "Our expectations are for students and employees to do their best to come to school," school district spokesman Fernando Gallard said. "We're just hoping for the best here."

The sudden strike called early Tuesday by Transport Workers Union Local 234 all but crippled the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, which averages more than 928,000 trips each weekday. The transit agency's largest union walked away from negotiations on a new contract over disagreements on wage, pension and health care issues.

from delcotimes.com: According to SEPTA spokesman Richard Maloney, union workers, who earn an average $52,000 a year, have been offered an 11.5 percent wage increase over five years, a $1,250 signing bonus the first year, and increased pensions, and no increases in health-care co-payments. It sounds like an offer many people would jump at, especially during this time of recession when layoffs are rampant.