KYW Newsradio Team Coverage
Governor Rendell says he’s disappointed by the transit workers' strike in Philadelphia (see related stories) -– both because he believed the two sides were close, and because it was called without notice.
And he says the next move is up to the union.
Which Septa services are running, which aren't?
KYW's Tony Romeo reports that the governor (in file photo above) says the union walked away from what he calls a “sensational” contract offer, especially considering the economic climate.
That, he says, combined with years of “ill will” that has built up, leads him to believe that nothing would be accomplished by calling the two sides back to the bargaining table soon:
“We could never let the union and Septa management be in the room by themselves. The mayor and I and Congressman Brady... at least two of us had to be in the room at all times to keep the tempers and the animosity down so they could focus on issues.”
The governor says he believes that union members will have to speak up and tell their leaders to reconsider the offer and urge them to get back to the bargaining table.
He also warns that if the strike drags on, he might withdraw his offer of $6 million in state dollars to sweeten the deal, and the offer the union gets could end up being worse.
Revised parking and taxi rules during strike
KYW's Mike Dunn reports from City Hall that Mayor Nutter is also furious that Septa workers have walked, for two reasons: he says that management had tendered a fair offer, and that the union's short notice of the strike was hugely disruptive to the city.
Nutter (right) says the union received a five-year offer that included three-percent wage hikes in the final three years of the deal:
"There is no package like that anywhere nearby, of at least any unionized workforce -- not the city, not the state. Nobody has that kind of package sitting in front of them."
The mayor is also angry that the union called the strike at 3am:
"This is an unreasonable situation. It is irrational. It is unacceptable, and completely insensitive to the citizens of the city and the riding public."
The mayor is urging residents to be patient and do their best to cope as they make alternate commuting plans. And he is urging employers to cut their workers slack if they are late for work as the strike continues.
KYW's Pat Loeb reports that talks broke down at the end of a 14-hour bargaining session that involved the mayor, the governor, and US congressman Bob Brady (D-Pa.).
Rendell says he wasn't just disappointed when the union walked out of negotiations, he was surprised:
"The mayor and I both missed the Phillies game! We both were supposed to go to the Phillies game, and we stayed and negotiated because it was that important, and because we thought we were very, very near."
In a conference call, the governor said that all the movement in the last four days of talks -- once he got involved -- was on management's part. They'd gone from nine percent in wage increases over five years, he says, to 11½ percent plus a $1,250 bonus.
Rendell says the only reason that Septa could afford the offer was that he'd ponied up $6 million in state funds, and he warned that the union was taking a risk:
"I might decide, if the strike goes on for a length of time, I'm not going to put in state money."
Rendell says he's willing to get back into talks. Septa says it's ready to talk. The union, though, except for a brief statement about pensions and work rules on its way out, has not made any statment about talks.
KYW is your 24-hour source for the very latest on the Septa strike, plus Traffic and Transit on the Twos every 10 minutes as driving becomes a major alternative for many regular commuters.
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