PHILADELPHIA- Over 4,700 public transportation workers have gone on strike starting at midnight,November 1, 2016. This raises a number of issues- particularly the disadvantage of lower-income voters and students. With the election in just a few days, it’s quite possible that the voice of financially struggling voters will not be heard.
Many depend on the public transportation system and are going to have an extremely hard time getting to the polls. The future of our country depends on the ability of citizens to participate, and this ability is currently being inhibited. The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) is responsible for over 800,000 commuters on a daily basis. The public transportation system is essentially shut down as of right now, with only the Regional Rail commenter service still in service. Let’s face it- Uber and Lyft can only do so much, and they aren’t affordable for the most impoverished in society.
This is not to say that negotiation should be looked down upon, not in the least. What it is saying, however, is that hundreds of thousands are being affected by this strike, and it’s continuation will disrupt our society altogether. Citizens need to be able to vote. Students need to be able to get to school. Workers need to be able to get to their jobs.
