Potential SEPTA Strike More Than Meets the Eye

A SEPTA strike is looming in the City of Brotherly Love. For those of us who have lived through a SEPTA strike and rely on public transit, the idea is vaguely terrifying. Bike riding on city streets is a gamble -- the vast majority of city drivers refuse to share the road with bicyclists or pedestrians, and many of the side streets are giant pot hole-infested bike wreckers. And dishing out cab fare plus that extra 19.4% PGW rate hike means many of us will be living the life of a very poor hermit shortly.

Most of us don't really know what's at stake in this strike. We hear the local news say that SEPTA management wants the workers to pay for some of their own healthcare, and we think, "Well, hey, we pay a portion of our healthcare. That seems only fair." But that's not really what's up.

Thanks to Young Philly Politics, a clearer picture has emerged as to just what SEPTA management is asking. First, we need to understand that the only SEPTA workers who get 100% paid healthcare is management. And the management at SEPTA is large and unruly -- nearly one manager for every regular employee. While SEPTA managers have gotten nice, fat raises every year, SEPTA workers have not received a raise in two years.

Consider what your benefits at work are, now consider this: SEPTA workers gave up sick days (they still get long term illness benefits) already, and they also pay for all their prescriptions, dental and vision. Now management is asking SEPTA workers to give up maternity leave, some vacation time, and all weekly overtime. In addition, management has proposed a 20% increase in health care premiums and a 20% decrease in the benefits. Management would not be affected by any of these concessions.

It hardly seems fair to blame the union and SEPTA employees, does it? Sure, SEPTA employees are often surly and unhelpful, but they don't deserve the blame in the way that the local media will have us believe.

Phillyist relies on public transit and we've always been aghast at the poor management of SEPTA. Now we're disgusted by what management is trying to do to its workers and the union. A strike will suck, but we're with the union on this one.