Posted on 11/03/2009 12:35:48 PM PST by Kid Shelleen
Gov. Rendell today chastised union leaders for calling a strike against SEPTA, saying they turned down a "sensational" contract in tough economic times. Rendell said the five-year contract spurned by leaders of Transport Workers Union Local 234 called for a $1,250 signing bonus upon ratification, a 2.5 percent raise the second year, and a three percent raise in each of the next three years.
It also called for an increase in pension payments to workers and no increase in their health-insurance contributions.
Rendell said he had agreed to give SEPTA $6 million from an economic development fund in the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to help pay for the contract sweeteners.
"The union leadership walked on a victory last night," Rendell said. "They just didn't know when to declare victory."
(Excerpt) Read more at philly.com ...
Add the IAM at Boeing to the list. Talk about killing the golden goose.
Fire ‘em all.
Here in Western PA, the transit union is taking yet another tough stand. Once again, I’m sure the county will eventually cave. And of course, the taxpayers and consumers of mass transit will pay through the nose for it.
There is a proposal here to revamp the system — combine some routes and eliminate some unprofitable ones. Will never happen. So we will have buses riding around empty or nearly empty...all because the union wants to hold onto the jobs these empty routes provide. And again, we taxpayers and consumers will pay for it.
Fast Eddie calls it a “sensational” deal for everyone EXCEPT the tax payers who will be hit with another huge tax increase.
Why is it that the tax payers are told that they need to manage their money better and cut back on expenses while the same people who lecture the tax payers have no problem spending money like there is no tomorrow.
When they spend more than they have, presto a tax increase.
Time to start taking things off the table. Screw them. Screw Rendell too. He is useless. Fire them. There are thousands upon thousands of folks looking for work.
Watching Fast Eddie and SEPTA fight it out is like watching two obese weiner dogs fighting each other.
“SEPTA is one of only two U.S. transit agencies that operates all of the five major types of transit vehicles: regional (commuter) rail trains, ‘heavy’ rapid transit (subway/elevated) trains, light rail vehicles (trolleys), electric trolleybuses and motor buses.”
When these unions strike they shut down all mass transit in the greater Philadelphia area so many riders have no alternative means of getting to work. A parallel might be UPS, FedEx and the Post Office all going on strike simultaneously.
Fire them. Hire new ones. The rails will be down for a few weeks. But that will be long enough to remind everyone why they shouldn’t allow critical services to be held under duress by fools. Please refer to Ronald Reagan and ATCs.
warms my heart to see Fast Eddie’s mob thug tactics being turned right back on him
Thanks for the ping.
SEPTA should stop negoatiating and start placing ads for thousands of transit jobs, at about 2/3 what they are paying the TWU thugs. They will be filled in minutes.
Which is why mass transit will Anever catch on in most of the US. Why would I put my trust in union goons who will leave me high and dry. No way, I’ll drive, thank you very much!
Fire them all. I’m sure we can find their replacements within the ranks of the unemployed.
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