Nutter Irate At SEPTA Surprise Strike

Philadelphia mayor Michael Nutter blasted SEPTA’s transit union for a calling a strike with little notice to commuters on Tuesday.

“People had already gone to bed. Some people were already at their job,” Nutter said. “To find out you can’t get home is the height of the lack of consideration.”

The transit union called for a strike right after the Phillies won in Game 5 of the World Series and workers walked out at 3 a.m.

“There was no good reason for this,” Nutter said. “It is outrageous.”

When Good Day Philadelphia brought up the union's desire for increased pension benefits, Nutter was blunt.

“Their salaries were proposed to go up. Their pension was to be increased. They have a pension fund that is 50 percent funded, similar to ours. So no reasonable, rationale person right now is thinking about a raise, is thinking about an increase in their pension when other members of the general public and other Americans are losing their jobs. Unemployment in Philadelphia just went over 11 percent. There is no reason for this. None."

Nutter also ripped the union for shutting down transportation to polls on an Election Day.