Pennsylvania Turnpike toll collectors have their hand out for more then just toll fares these days. They went on strike Wednesday, just as Americans were hitting the road for Thanksgiving. Union members began picketing at turnpike interchanges before dawn. Anticipating a walkout, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission decided to waive tolls on Wednesday and planned to have nonunion employees staff tollbooths Thursday.
Negotiations have been rocky between turnpike officials and Teamsters locals 77 and 250, which represent maintenance workers and office employees in addition to toll collectors.
In a joint statement, the two Teamsters locals said managers refused to meet with union leaders Tuesday night, saying members should simply accept management's offer.
Management described its offer as generous and criticized union leaders for not sending it to the membership for a vote. Management issued a statement Monday saying the offer includes a fully paid health care package as well as annual pay increases, but did not say how large the increases were. Capone said management would issue a statement with more specifics later Wednesday morning.
The union's statement said management was offering less with each successive proposal and accused turnpike officials of trying to provoke a strike.
Union members had been working under the terms of a contract that expired Sept. 30, 2003.
If workers are still on strike at the end of the day, the Turnpike Commission's contingency plan is to have managers staffing tollbooths charge a flat fee of $2 to drivers of passenger cars for any trip on the 531-mile highway system. Commercial vehicles are to pay a flat fee of $15.
Drivers using the E-ZPass automatic toll-collection system are to pay the regular toll or the flat fee, whichever is cheaper.
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