Thanks Septa. Thanks for having a terrible public transit system to begin with (why do the subway lines run nowhere and all the trolleys and buses run along Market Street? why must I pay extra money to transfer? why does it take me longer to walk to/from the subway than to actually ride on the subway?). And thanks for going on strike.
The Septa people, subway/trolley/bus drivers/mechanics/whatevers had been working without a contract for a lengthy amount of time, but had refused the city's offered new contract. The city's offer was really good, but the union wanted more money. Before the strike, the union placed big ads in the newspapers explaining that they were people too, and that they needed a 14% raise over four years.
The whole city was furious at them, amazed that the union would have the gall to make those demands when there are people who would gladly take those jobs without any raise at all. I mean, get real subway drivers, don't think you can't be replaced by a robot (already invented in Japan ten years ago). A robot that wouldn't occasionally miss the subway platform and have to back up in order for the passengers to exit or enter. As I have seen more than once.
Thankfully the strike only lasted for six days, and that for those days I was able to catch a ride down to Center City with Bret. And that it was not during the Canadian winter. Unlike the manifestation in Ottawa.
3 comments:
Who could have predicted another city, another transit strike? At least this time it only lasted a week and the timing was much better than winter in Ottawa.
I haerd about the strike in Philly on NPR on my way to school on Monday. First thought was "OH, no, Jess..another manifestation!" Fortunately it was of much shorter duration that the last one and you didn't need to slog through ice and snow and slush!
You made me chuckle. I realize that the transit strike was terribly ironic and inconvenient for you, but your description was quite funny! Glad it didn't last long.
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