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Well that’s an interesting idea: The Fare Strike
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The SEPTA strike is a great inconvenience to the general population. I am sure that the Septa board Members and the Union Leadership are not similarly inconvenienced by the lack of public transportation. Just look at the army of SUVs around the Bellevue during the talks.
I would like to suggest another approach to the union action. Instead of walking off the job, why not continue to operate the system as usual only REFUSE TO COLLECT FARES.
This would have a two-fold impact; 1. Put a halt to the revenue stream while 2. Retaining the popular support of the people whose livelihoods depend on reliable public transportation.
Each time SEPTA has gone on strike, they have actually lost ridership.
Why not take an action that helps the people as well as yourselves, guys? Would that not be enlightened self interest?
Please Adivise.
Thoughts?
I personally love it. It’s a nice alternative to #SeptaBoycott. Tried to make that tag work all morning…
What? And have the union workers, who are striking, collect a paycheck while they strike?
Or are you suggesting the union workers would work for free during their strike?
That would require the Septa drivers to work which we all know they are very much adverse to doing.
I suspect the letter writer’s idea is that the “strike” would entail the workers not collecting a paycheck (as they’re not collecting one now, either) in addition to not collecting fares.
Right. Work for free. That from the good natured folks who are threatening to shut the Regional Rail lines Friday morning.
Thoughts besides it being insanely illegal, grounds for termination, and an all in all terrible idea?
I like it. I imagine it would be hard to implement though.
I agree with David G, the worst that would happen with that idea, is for those cashiers and drivers to lose their jobs altogether. What I suggest is a real boycott! Even after the strike ends, let’s not ride with Septa for a few days, that’ll show them. We can’t continue to be manipulated by and dependent on a system that has no consideration for its riders!
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Boycott. And we should also make demands. No fare increases and Willie Brown should have to step down as union leader. This happens to us every 4-5 years people don’t forget? 2005 7 days and back in 1998 40 days in a heat wave!!!! Don’t treat this as in isolated incident!
I agree with David G as well. But as to Emynona’s comment - by boycotting SEPTA, we don’t show the strikers anything. All we do is hurt SEPTA more, which gives the TWU more incentive to strike next time, as they’ll have more leverage with SEPTA. Unfortunately, the workers have very little vested in how healthy SEPTA is, so they could care less if there is a boycott. They just want to milk the cow dry. The real question to ask is, what can we do to send a message to the TWU?
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This post was mentioned on Twitter by xdeliriumx: AWESOME idea. SEPTA employees, instead of strike, just refuse to collect fares! Philadelphians- http://bit.ly/QcRo2 PLEASE RT!…
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