No daily Viagra dose, no peace! Philly transit workers rise up in protest
Filed under: Healthcare, Media, Pfizer
The striking union of transit workers in Philadelphia are angry that they're not getting daily doses of Viagra. And amazingly, their bosses apparently caved on their demands after the union turned down a generous offer -- and threatened to embarrass the city during the World Series.The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority has agreed to cover almost all of its rising health-care costs, and to increase coverage for Pfizer's (PFE) Viagra and other erectile dysfunction treatments, the Philadelphia Daily News reports. Workers are unhappy that their health insurance plan only covers about 10 pills a month.
With the exception of Playboy (PLA) founder Hugh Hefner -- who must be buying his little blue pills wholesale -- most patients are prescribed a hand full of erectile dysfunction pills at a time. Doctors -- legitimate ones, with offices and licenses -- know that these pills are almost as popular on the Internet as Paris Hilton's sex tape, and most don't encourage patients to make a few extra bucks by dealing it.
Many customers do deal it, of course. In 2006, a SEPTA employee was caught trying to illegally obtain nearly 40 Viagra prescriptions. This new benefit will no doubt renew that entrepreneurial spirit among some employees.
The Viagra issue may seem silly, but the SEPTA strike is not. The authority serves a metropolitan region with 325 million riders a year. Fiscal 2009 revenue was $456.6 million. Like many public transit services, it's pretty lousy, but it's a vital link for residents throughout the Philadelphia area, and the strike has paralyzed the Delaware Valley for four days.
Last night, Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell and Rep. Bob Brady announced a tentative agreement in the four-day old strike. It's a sweet deal. The five-year pact would provide for a $1,250 bonus upon ratification -- which may come tonight -- a 2.5% raise in the second year, and a 3% raise in each of the final three years. Workers' health-insurance contributions will remain at 1% of base pay, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Given the terms granted to the pharmaceutically emboldened employees, Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Karen Heller dryly noted that commuters should be worried that "every bus, trolley, and subway route has the potential to turn into an express, particularly during those problematic four-hour peaks in service." ¡Viva Viagra!
Dell in a handbasket: Should founder Michael Dell resign?
TARP saved the banking system, but failed at everything else
Why we shouldn't audit the Federal Reserve
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 9)
11-07-2009 @ 5:57PM
lowell said...
these losers are lucky they have jobs.. they could be laid off and doing it by hand
Reply
11-07-2009 @ 6:30PM
djones said...
Too funny.
11-07-2009 @ 6:55PM
Stardust said...
"Doing it by hand"...hysterical!!!! LMAO!!! How in the holy h*ll can this be a bargaining point?????? Whatever you can get by with...................
11-07-2009 @ 11:20PM
MICKEY said...
So, these guys want the city to help them get an erection?
11-08-2009 @ 10:33AM
JackAss said...
They are lucky a "Regan" didn't get pulled on them like with the Flight Controllers!
11-08-2009 @ 11:15AM
Janet said...
Amen to that !!
11-08-2009 @ 11:20AM
red white & YOU said...
In life you don't get what you deserve, you get what you NEGOTIATE....Don't be jealous that YOU can't make the same bargaining points..
11-08-2009 @ 11:57AM
Jan said...
Pay for your own damn Viagra. And better yet, take that money and spend it on something your woman would like to have.
11-08-2009 @ 5:51PM
James said...
They ought to fire the bunch of them and then rehire them for 1/2 their original wages.
Anyone who goes on strike in this economy should have viagra shoved up their back side.
11-07-2009 @ 6:17PM
Kevin said...
Unions! Worthles, and destructive to America! Unions and their high demands were a major part of the auto industry problems!
Reply
11-08-2009 @ 9:34AM
MICHAEL said...
SO I GUESS YOU WOULD RATHER BE WORKING 6 DAYS A WEEK 12 HOURS A DAY ALONG SIDE YOUR CHILDREN.THIS IS WHAT UNIONS FOUGHT AGAINST AND ALL ENJOY.IF YOU THINK THIS IS THE ONLY POINT IN THAT STRIKE YOU NEED HELP.
11-08-2009 @ 9:34AM
MICHAEL said...
YOUR RIGHT NOW READ THE LABEL ON ANY 5 ITEMS IN YOUR HOUSE RIGHT NOW AND POST THEIR PLACE OF ORIGIN.WE OUTSOURCED AMERICA.THAT'S WHATS KILLING AMERICA AND YOU ARE ALL RIGHT IGNORANCE IS KILLING THIS COUNTRY SO LETS DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.GO READ A BOOK.
11-08-2009 @ 11:29AM
WTF said...
I was in "management" for 30 + years. I changed jobs and found myself in a union. I feel if there were no unions we would have a lot more US jobs heading overseas. Contrary to popular belief,,,companies don't give a shint about you, they care about the shareholders. Seems like you may be a guy that has the company smoke blowing up his azz and you blow smoke rings. Good job dude.
11-08-2009 @ 3:42PM
bill said...
Yo Michael:
Turn down the caps. Kevin was right. Read the labels of any five items in my house? That would be the five most expensive items because unions made them expensive. Alas, no more union labels here ace because all the manufacturing has moved overseas where there aren't any unions. I make it a point to avoid anything with a union label if at all possible and I hope everybody else does too. GM failure? Primarily (no actually - completely) the cause and effect of unions. GM was crushed with the cost of union retirement benefits and labor costs. At the time of the bankruptcy it was estimated that $1,200.00 of the price of each GM car went to cover union retirees. That is retirees - not even current employees. You know how much Honda USA and Toyota USA pay per car? Zero. That is no dollars. GM was held hostage for years by union demands until the hostage was killed. Yet dopes like you will continue to cite labor conditions from some Dickens novel of 100 years ago as making unions somehow necessary or relevant today. The Fair Labor Standards Act of the 1940's did away with all that work week nonsense but idiots like you will try to credit unions for that. WRONG.
11-08-2009 @ 5:02PM
shell said...
a year ago worked for union at a Disney Park and only made 7 something an hour(loved those BIG union wages) and losing 30 dollars a month to union dues that could have gone to my family ,couldn't afford the health care through them..I made better working at wal-mart before I moved ,so I quiet and went to another non-union job make more and can actually afford the health care so no just becuase its a union doesn't mean its good..
11-07-2009 @ 6:18PM
John said...
Viagra? Because anyone whose ridden Septa knows everytime you get on they f*** you good
Reply
11-07-2009 @ 6:35PM
frisco8112 said...
This seems to be telling the world that Union workers aren't man enough to get the job done. If I were them, I'd be too ashamed to show my face in public.
Reply
11-07-2009 @ 6:39PM
Bill said...
I am married so 10 would be plenty.
Reply
11-08-2009 @ 11:13AM
Janet said...
Ain't that the truth !
11-07-2009 @ 6:42PM
Doc said...
What's wrong with popsicle sticks and duct tape?
Reply