Just as it started in the middle of the night, SEPTA management and union officials announced late last night that the strike that struck the heart of the city for the past seven days was over.
Mostly, we’re relieved. This strike has paralyzed the city for the last week, causing traffic jams, dangerously forcing bikers onto the sidewalks, and making patrons who really can’t afford cab fares and gas to utilize both. Restarting service will correct all of these problems, and we’re definitely not complaining.
But now that the strike is over, the time has come to determine why, exactly, the strike occurred in the first place. Strikes that so obviously cut at the public’s interest should never be taken lightly, and we question whether union leaders had either the public’s or their workers’ interests at heart. The strike was orchestrated to be dramatic: It started in the dead of the night, just hours after the last World Series game in Philadelphia, so that many early-morning commuters wouldn't know that it had even happened; leaders held out for an extra two days after a deal which many considered contained more than enough was on the table.
Questionable motivations aside, though, we’re happy that the governor, mayor and U.S. Rep Bob Brady were able to get everyone on the same page in the end. We’ll see you on SEPTA.
