Mass transit on strike in Philadelphia

Posted on October 31, 2005 by Karl

A bad, bad day in Philadelphia. SEPTA is on strike, stranding thousands of those who can’t afford it. And the Eagles lose. And lose ugly. Much more at Philly.com. It’s a shame after it comes after such a great meetup with fellow Philly bloggers.

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4 Responses to Mass transit on strike in Philadelphia

  1. steve says:
    October 31, 2005 at 1:24 pm

    I know it is difficult if downright debilitating for people not to be able to get around. I am torn about this, but knowing what I know – I have to side with the union. What people do not understand or cannot comprehend is the 20,000ft. view of things. Where do we, as workers, put a stop to what our employers slowly and steadily take away from us? While money is made hand over fist by companies, when do the people, who are the ones who do the work for these companies to make that money, get to see any of that money?

    Septa, the most expensive mass tranist system in the world, wants to make money. SO feel cutting health benefits is the way to do it since they don’t think a rate hike is the best thing for them to do right now (and for those who cite high gas prices – septa should have never done away with the trolley’s or electrir bus routes). Stop paying management more and more money when all they do is sit on their asses riding around in SUV’s to be hawks for the drivers. Ther are plenty of other ways to save money other than cutting employee benefits.

  2. Melissa says:
    October 31, 2005 at 1:47 pm

    Twas very lovely to meet you. For some reason, I had a different picture in my head. You’ll have to let us know when you and your band are playing. I know it’s in November, but I already forget the details. See you soon.:)

  3. Karl says:
    November 1, 2005 at 7:24 am

    It was great being there with everyone Melissa. No one ever looks the way you imagine online in my experience – and I keep a particularly low profile.

    Steve – I don’t know man. I don’t know where to stand. People are being seriously hurt in the wake of this strike. You should see the businesses down 15th and Market yesterday. I can’t imagine what other parts of town, reliant on the El for business, look like.

  4. steve says:
    November 1, 2005 at 9:29 am

    I too feel very sorry for the people who have no choice but to take septa. That is why I am torn. But I also know that the municiparlity that Septa serves are somewhat to blame. In effect, this is not much different from the airline industry. We have all come to depend so heavily upon a private entity that serves a public need. This is where the problem with capitalism comes in – when your primary goal is to make money, this conflicts with the needs of the people you have doing the work and the needs of the people that are using your product. This is where the government needs to take over. Not quasi-government, but FULL government. SEPTA needs to be funded by taxpayer monies. Taxes from gasoline (you want to full up the gass guzzling SUV, than you will pay for it and in the interim, it will fund the mass transit that is supposed to alleviate the gas crunch and the environmental damages). This would also bring down the fares. You want buy the $150 rink die seats at the flyers game – you pay a luxury tax on it. And, sincer that goes to fund SEPTA, you get to ride to the game for free from anywhere using that ticket. You want to park downtown? Pay tax on it. YClogging the streets with more cars and choking the air with more fumes when there is no need to drive around down in CC, should be taxed. And the people that reep from that are the ones that use SEPTA.
    Cut fat – why does there need to be so much damn management driving aound in SEPTA suv’s and minivans. You need to check on a driver? Install a camera on on the bus. That way, it can be done remotely. No need to go driving around sucking on coffee and pigging out on krispy kreme getting paid FAT dollars for being some leech manager who does nothing to enhance service. Cut upper and middle management. What is the need for them anyway? Why do you need 10 or 20 of them to discuss how to make our mass transit better. Again, if you fold it up under a public service in government, the government can manage it. Starting fom scratch, this can be done right. Same things can be done to the airline and passenger train industries.
    Yes, it boils down to the rich and greedy to start having to pull some of the weight. I am not saying they should provide handouts to people, but at least give them the cheap ability to get to and from the places of business that are making the rich get richer. Guess what happens then? We don’t have these problems.
    Instead, everyone loses in situations like this.

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