SEPTA Union Doubts Rendell's Motives

PHILADELPHIA - It will be a long SEPTA strike as Gov. Rendell's threats to take state funding away don't really impress some union workers.

Fox 29 was back on the picket lines Sunday talking to strikers and several commuters.

The union members seemed to back leader Willie Brown, while the commuters just want the strike over.

The deal between Brown and SEPTA management fell apart over issues about a pension audit and how a national health care bill would affect union members.

“I don't think the governor or the mayor has the right to say, bypass the executive board,” says Carl Greer.

"If Governor Rendell was intending to give us the money, it would still be on the table,” said Willie Beckton, a union board member.

Rendell said SEPTA union leaders reneged on a handshake deal to end a strike, and he will withdraw $7 million in state funding if a vote isn’t held on Monday.

The shocking developments came just one day after Rendell announced a tentative deal between SEPTA management and Transport Workers Union Local 234.

Instead, Rendell has quit as a negotiator and union leader Willie Brown accused Rendell of trying to devide the union.

The public breakdown started when Rendell called a 2 p.m. Saturday news conference to announce the result of the union vote on the deal.

Instead, TWA union spokesman Spokesman Jamie Horwitz said early Saturday afternoon that Rendell was "premature" to talk about a pact and a union counteroffer was being sent to Rep. Bob Brady.

Rendell and union leader Brown then held bitter press conferences on Saturday night, where Rendell quit as a go-between and Brown accused Rendell of trying to trick the union.

Brown also confronted a Fox 29 reporter who said some union members wanted a strike vote over Brown's objections.

Video: Brown Not Happy With Fox 29

Rendell said SEPTA union leaders reneged on a handshake deal to end a strike, and he will withdraw $7 million in state funding if a vote isn’t held on the deal agreed to Friday night.

Rendell gave union management until Monday to put the contract to a vote, or lose the money.

The Governor labeled the union managements’ acts as “absolute insanity" and said SEPTA management received nine counteroffers from the union after a deal was struck.

Brown later said Rendell was trying to divide and conquer the union, and he would not let outsiders change union rules.

"We are not going to put it to a vote, period," Brown said.

"All we discussed last night was the wages and how much we would put into the pension. We never got into the details of the contract itself. Then at 12:25 this morning I saw on the fax machine a contract, a memorandum of agreement," Brown said.

The issues on the table are what would happen to union health care costs if National health care reform were to go through, and a union-requested audit of the pension plan.

"If you have nothing to hide, why don't you open the books?" Brown asked.

Rendell said SEPTA management agreed to an audit, but with an independent auditor. The union wanted its own auditor, he said.

Rendell was firm that he will take his $7 million away from talks. That money was earmarked for the union pension and worker bonuses.

Brown said Rendell's tactic was "the oldest trick in the books."

The union walked out early Tuesday in a dispute largely centered on pension benefits, idling city subways, trolleys and buses.

The union represents about 5,000 bus drivers, subway and trolley operators and mechanics. They walked out early Tuesday in a dispute largely centered on pension benefits.

The union had threatened to strike while the World Series was in town last weekend, but negotiators continued bargaining after Rendell threatened "significant consequences" if that happened. The union went on strike hours after the series between the Phillies and Yankees shifted back to New York.

SEPTA's regional railroad is still running because those workers are represented by a different union, but that system has experienced problems of its own this week.

On Wednesday, an R5 train caught fire as it headed downtown, causing delays and confusion but no serious injuries.

Slideshow: Images Of SEPTA Train Fire | Videos: Passenger Interviews | Fire Aftermath

On Thursday, a packed commuter train struck and killed a rail worker during the morning rush, stranding hundreds of riders as lines had to be shut down for hours.

Related: SEPTA Inspector Killed By Train | Slideshow: Images From Scene

Neither accident was related to increased volume due to the strike, SEPTA said.