Obama order forces Philly rail workers back on job

[drm604]

20. Thank you.

I ride the Philly regional rail to work every day. Fortunately, right where I live there is alternative though slightly less convenient public transit that I could use, the Norristown High Speed Line with a transfer to the subway at 69th street (the NHSL and subways are a different union from the regional rail). It would be a nightmare because of the crowding from all of the extra people, but I could commute. I also have the option of working from home, although I don't think my employer would like me to do so for an extended period. (I could drive, but I don't want to even think of that nightmare with all of the 10s of thousands of extra people on the highway.)

I only say all that as a disclaimer, that I personally would be inconvenienced but that's all it would be for me and I could put up with it if necessary. However, there are other workers in other areas outside of the city that wouldn't have the NHSL as an alternative. Some of those could drive (adding to the congestion) but those that can't could be out of luck. And few of the lower wage workers have the option of working from home.

The point being that if we care about workers then... we should care about workers. Not just some, but all. Mediation is what's needed here.