SEPTA bargains in shadow of fiscal crisis | Morning Newsletter
West Philly is up in arms over a sudden business breakup.
The Morning Newsletter
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Today will start off nice and sunny, but there’s a slight chance of afternoon and evening showers.
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SEPTA must negotiate contracts with unions representing its vast workforce in the coming months. Our lead story pulls a seat up to the bargaining table to see how talks are coming along as the transit agency deals with financial challenges.
— Paola Pérez (@pdesiperez, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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SEPTA is known as one of the most strike-prone large transit systems in the country — unions have walked off the job at least 11 times since 1975. This year, its ridership remains depressed and its own financial future depends on coaxing more money from state and local governments.
There are at least 14 separate bargaining units representing SEPTA employees. Almost all of them will negotiate new agreements through the end of the year and into 2024, with pay raises, better benefits, public safety, and other concerns on the docket.
Here’s the lineup:
Active talks are underway on new contracts with three unions, and SEPTA officials are meeting with a fourth as their contract is set to expire Oct. 31
Three more collective bargaining agreements expire in November
Eight others expire in the first two months of 2024.
Continue reading for details on who each union represents, what they want and what’s up with their contracts.
What you should know today
Former Phillies manager Charlie Manuel suffered a stroke Saturday while undergoing a procedure at a hospital in Florida, the team announced.
Danilo Cavalcante’s tale of surviving on watermelon, creek water, and stealth was simple and straightforward. But the attempts to find him in the previous two weeks had been anything but. Here’s how law enforcement tracked the escaped murderer down in Chester County.
Philadelphia police said they were investigating four separate shooting incidents on Saturday that left four people dead.
Parents claim that doctors at Lehigh Valley Health Network are over-diagnosing a rare psychological condition characterized as “medical child abuse,” leading to the loss of custody of their children, and costly legal bills.
A tiny hospital in the sparsely populated Pennsylvania Wilds region, and among hundreds of rural hospitals nationwide in danger of closing, has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help keep its doors open.
Philadelphia native Kristen Welker debuts as the new moderator of NBC’s flagship politics show Meet the Press on Sunday, and she’s not wasting any time putting her own stamp on the long-running show.
It’s Oktoberfest season, so turn to your neighbor, raise a stein and welcome them with a joyful prost at these events around Philadelphia.
Nominees are in for the Barrymore Awards recognizing the region’s best theater. See if your favorites of the season made the cut.
A sudden business breakup in West Philly has upset the whole neighborhood.
Until this week, you could score some of the best bagels in the city at Mariposa Food Co-Op. The freshly baked goods came from Four Worlds Bakery, another West Philly institution.
That changed when Mariposa abruptly severed ties with Four Worlds. Just one day’s notice was given.
“It’s a big blow to us — 60-100 bagels a day plus 12 baguettes and bread loaves; and we were given 1 day notice about the change with no reason given. We need your support now more than ever,” Four Worlds announced on their Facebook page.
How the community is responding: A mix of support and outrage. Soon after Four Worlds broke the news, customers flocked to the bakery, and they sold out that afternoon. Some people have pledged to cancel memberships or patronize one business over the other. Others are pressing Mariposa to answer for the “wildly unprofessional” and “unacceptable” lack of notice.
How Mariposa is responding: “Throughout our time working together, we have had conversations around quality issues and other business concerns. We have tried to find solutions that work for both parties, but unfortunately the time has come to part ways,” the co-op said in an Instagram post.
Keep reading on the partnership’s history over the years, and what happened before the breakup.
❓Pop quiz❓
T-minus two months until Philadelphians can lift off into space with a brand new exhibit coming to a solar system near you.
Where will the exhibit be unveiled?
A) Please Touch Museum
B) The Franklin Institute
C) Wagner Free Institute of Science
D) Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Think you know? Check your answer here.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram 🧩
Hint: See the city skyline
LEAPT MOUNTABLE
We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Send us your own original anagram to unscramble if you’d like. Email us if you know the answer. Cheers to Sara Garonzik who correctly guessed Friday’s answer: Little Amal.
Photo of the day
🎶 Today’s Sunday track goes like this: “How can you call me with such conviction? / ‘Sugar cane, sugar.’” 🎶 I think this is the Men I Trust song that finally sold me on buying some concert tickets.
👋🏽 Taylor will help you start the week off right with Monday’s news update. Stay safe, and when in doubt, look up at the stars.