KYW Newsradio Team Coverage
Philadelphia commuters were learning slowly how to deal with the Septa mass transit strike, now in its second day. There was no indication of further negotiating sessions between Septa and the TWU, and Septa provided information about Transpass refunds (below).
KYW's Tony Hanson made stops at Market East and Suburban Station to check out delays during the evening rush on this second day of the strike.
Generally there was less confusion and shorter lines and waits, with many people waiting only a matter of minutes for the regional rail trains.
(communter #1) "I am close to the front and I am glad. It's not that long as I thought it would be."
(Hanson) "How long have you had to wait?"
(commuter#1) "Ten minutes so far, maybe."
But in some cases, the second time was no charm.
(commuter #2) "The 5:15 train is a little bit late but we've been here since about quarter of five."
(Hanson) "Now did you ride yesterday and how does this compare to yesterday?"
(commuter #2) "Today's a lot worse than yesterday. There's a lot more people out today."
But, he added, the only thing that mattered was getting home before the Phillies game.
Meanwhile, the head of the striking union says pensions are the issue, and the mayor isn't being helpful.
KYW's John Ostapkovich reports that TWU local 234 president Willie Brown would not take any questions during his brief appearance on Wednesday, but says a major issue in the walkout is historically underfunded pensions:
"Our pension is funded at about 52 percent. That level is totally unacceptable to us. It has to do with Septa funding the pension negligently the last 20 years."
Brown (right) says management pensions at Septa are funded at about 90 percent.
Brown praised Governor Rendell's involvement in the settlement talks, noting especially that Rendell brought an offer of state money. But he says that Mayor Nutter has gotten in the way:
"Little Caesar, as I like to call him, stood up in front of everybody and told the riding public that a strike was off the table. You never heard me say, or even Governor Rendell say, that a strike was off the table."
Brown said that he would not take part in any talks that included Mayor Nutter, accusing the mayor of "deception" in previous contract discussions.
And Brown says reports of a raise offer don't take into account what he consiers givebacks elsewhere.
There were indications that union officials would be meeting on Wednesday or Thursday with Governor Rendell, but no details were announced.
Hear Brown's full statement at top right.
KYW's Mike Dunn reports that Brown's vocal disdain of Mayor Nutter's involvement in the Septa talks appears to be somewhat mutual.
Nutter, for his part, said he hasn't spoken to Brown since the strike began, and he made clear he is leaving it to others to deal with Brown.
Nutter says others have reached out to Brown, although he didn't say who:
"I am aware that others have stayed in touch with Mr. Brown and the leadership over at TWU, in encouraging them to go back to the negotiating table."
And Nutter says his own degree of involvement going forward doesn't really matter:
"These are not my negotiations. These are Septa's negotiations. And until very late Friday night into Saturday morning, I was not involved directly in this particular negotiation."
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KYW's Pat Loeb reports that Septa spokesperson Jerri Williams says the agency is ready to resume talks anytime:
"We never left the table, so figuratively we're still there, sitting there at the table, waiting for the union to come back."
The union, though, seems in no rush. Shortly after he declared the strike, union president Willie Brown said Septa had been unwilling to bargain on pension issues and work rules:
"It's to the point where they came in and said, 'Well, look, we're not going any further.' We said, 'Okay, you're not going any further, we have no choice in the matter.' "
Brown says the issues are complex and he would try to explain them at a news conference late Wednesday morning.
KYW's Al Novack reports that Septa buses of the Victory division -- formerly known as Red Arrow -- were being blocked by striking Transport Workers Union workers of the Philadelphia division on Wednesday morning (right).
The Victory division was not part of the striking Philadelphia city division.
On Wednesday morning, picketers showed up at the Victory terminal at 69th Street, and for a time allowed only about one bus out of the terminal every 45 minutes.
Victory buses serve all of Delaware County and the Main Line. Their drivers are part of a different bargaining unit known as the United Transportation Union, which has a seperate contract from that of the TWU.
Also, the Sharon Hill and Media trolleys (routes 101 and 102) were not operating in Delaware County as of Wednesday morning.
Which Septa services are running, which aren't?
KYW's Brad Segall reports that day two of the Septa strike forced some suburban rail riders to change their morning plans to make sure they get into center city Philadelphia on time.
Ernie Peacock of Rydal arrived at the Jenkintown train station around five in the morning -- that’s about 90 minutes earlier than he usually gets the train. His plan was to beat the rush, not only in the morning but later in the day:
“Yesterday I got out early as well, so I beat the rush a little bit. But as I stood waiting for the train, I could see the crowds building up behind me. So it made me more determined to get here earlier today so I could get out earlier.”
Parking can also be a problem at this station, so he wanted to make sure he could find a space for his car. Plans to build a parking garage here have run into community opposition.
Riders who normally catch the trains at other suburban stations are driving here because several regional lines run through this station.
KYW's John McDevitt reports that although many Philadelphia commuters dealt with the first day of the Septa transit strike by driving their cars or calling in sick, that strategy wasn't going to keep working for most.
So, on Wednesday, it was an early wake-up call for many who had to make their way into center city by way of Regional Rail trains.
Most passengers getting off Regional Rail trains at the Market East station say they got up about an extra hour or so early to get to work.
Many said their employers have been understanding during the strike by Septa's city transit division. Said one:
"They actually let people leave earlier if you come in early. They say you can go ahead and leave early. They understand that everybody is struggling to get in and out of work."
Some who normally take the bus to center city say they are forced to take the Regional Rails and spend more money by doing so.
And many can't wait to get back to their normal routines.
KYW's Lynne Adkins reports that the effects of the transit strike will soon start rippling through the entire Philadelphia community.
We know that commuters are affected. But if they're not riding the buses, trolleys, and subways, they're not stopping at the nearby coffee shops or picking up a paper at the newstand, according to Rob Wonderling, president and CEO of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce:
"The longer a strike goes on, the more disruption there will be, and individuals who are now forced to find other ways to get to work, all of their habits and routines now change."
He adds that it's important for workers to get to the job on time -- and even more so in a recession, when owners are trying to keep their businesses afloat.
(Photo by KYW's Paul Kurtz)
KYW's Michelle Durham asks, so what if you are the bearer of a brand new Septa Transpass that you now can't use because of the strike? Can you get a refund?
The answer, according to Septa spokesperson Jerri Williams, is yes.
But that Transpass may not be as useless as you think:
"If they don't use their Transpass, they can get a refund. The Transpass is good within the city limits on Regional Rails. For instance, if you want to get a regional rail at Temple and ride all the way in to Suburban or Market East [stations], you can use that Transpass.
"So it will be up to the rider to decide if they want to use that pass or just hold onto it and get a refund later."
If you decide to use it on Regional Rails, it will be hole-punched with each use so Septa officials can track how many times it has been used. School passes are also good on Regional Rails within the city limits, but students must first check at a fare window to see if an additional payment is required.
The Septa strike was also making getting to class on time very difficult for college students.
At Temple University's main campus, Kim (no last name given) commutes in from Allentown, Pa.:
"On the Schuylkill I was stuck for about 40 minutes -- it was at a dead stop. It was pretty bad."
What is her normal commute like?
"About an hour, sometimes less than an hour this early in the morning. It took me 2½ hours to get to school today."
KYW Newsradio 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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