Phil. Inquirer Editorial on Transit Strike

[JPZenger]

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/opinion/20091104_Editorial__Bus_to_nowhere.html

Excerpts:

"As for SEPTA's offer, it hardly seems like the kind of affront that would spark a walkout, especially in these tough economic times. Rendell said SEPTA proposed a $1,250 signing bonus upon ratification, a 2.5-percent raise the second year, and 3-percent raises in each of the next three years. The union is asking for raises of 4 percent annually and improved work rules.

SEPTA also offered to increase pension payments to workers (the union contends SEPTA has chronically underfunded its pension plan), and not to increase employees' health-insurance contributions, now at 1 percent.

To many workers out there, and to a legion of the unemployed, such terms sound like a dream, not a reason to ambush commuters with a citywide shutdown of transportation services. If it hasn't, the union should return to the bargaining table with that in mind."

[T Wolf]

1. As someone impacted by this strike - I've ridden SEPTA to work for decades - I totally support

the union and the workers. If I am inconvenienced a little (or a lot) but the result is a victory for workers over the corporate management, I am more than willing to "suffer" as long as it takes to achieve a fair settlement.

It is discouraging to see the anti-union venom spewed by other people who work for a living. I can understand it from the corporate types who hate working people, but as unions have been destroyed by the corps and government, workers have fallen further behind in the fight for survival.

We really have become a nation of selfish assholes. The pukes have succeeded in getting most of Amerika to swallow that garbage.

Added - this stance by the repuke-owned Inquirer is to be expected. There are no liberals who write for that rag anymore.