a judge has scheduled a monday morning hearing to consider the philadelphia-area transit agency<u+2019>s request for the court to end a transit workers<u+2019> strike that has halted bus, subway and trolley service within the city since tuesday. on friday, philadelphia common pleas judge linda carpenter denied a preliminary injunction sought by the southeastern pennsylvania transportation authority. the transit agency claims the work stoppage jeopardizes citizens<u+2019> right to vote this tuesday and poses a <u+201c>clear and present danger to the health, safety and welfare of our riders and the citizens of philadelphia and the region.<u+201d> septa routes outside the city continue to operate, as does regional rail service through the city and the suburbs. judge carpenter ruled there wasn<u+2019>t sufficient evidence to support septa<u+2019>s claims and set a hearing for monday at 9:30 a.m. on whether <u+201c>any immediate irreparable harm to the welfare of the public<u+201d> will result if the strike were to continue past monday. lawyers for transport workers union local 234 oppose judicial intervention, and a spokesman said the union wants septa to continue bargaining on a new contract. sticking points include pension benefits and health insurance coverage. septa, the nation<u+2019>s sixth-largest transit agency, said in court papers that city residents, especially the elderly and disabled, won<u+2019>t be able to use public transit to go between polling places and their homes or workplaces if the strike isn<u+2019>t over by tuesday. <u+201c>in addition, as a result of the strike, citizens who plan to vote in the evening cannot rely on septa to get them home from work in a timely and predictable manner,<u+201d> agency lawyers wrote. pollsters say lower turnout in philadelphia could hurt democratic presidential nominee hillary clinton, who is counting on a wide margin of victory in the city to help her carry pennsylvania. septa also said the strike is causing people to miss critical medical appointments and students to miss school, and is keeping some disabled residents from reaching specialty-care facilities. corrections & amplifications: an earlier version of this article incorrectly referred to the transport workers union local 234 as the transportation workers union local 234. (nov. 8) write to scott calvert at scott.calvert@wsj.com
judge declines to halt philadelphia transit strike, sets monday hearing  - wsj
scott calvert