Nov 23, 2004 By Angie Santello 5 min read

The CEO of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) advised motorists Monday to start planning their Thanksgiving travel routes ahead of time due to the threat of a toll collectors strike that could begin as early as tonight. On Wednesday, 650,000 cars and trucks are expected to traverse the turnpike during what CEO Joe Brimmeier called the busiest travel day of the year on the 531-mile toll-road system.

According to PTC spokesman Carl DeFebo, a strike would be the first in the turnpike’s 64-year history, one that occurred at one of the worst times of the year for turnpike booths to be without staff.

The union representing the toll workers has not announced a strike date.

In the event of a work stoppage, the PTC would charge a temporary flat toll rate of $2 for passenger vehicles and $15 for commercial vehicles, no matter the length of trip, but motorists commuting to their holiday destinations are told to pass by a tollbooth if it is not staffed.

In addition, PTC management at the three regional turnpike offices across the state would be forced to fill in should the toll workers strike.

DeFebo said members of management have been advised of their shift schedules and would have 12 hours to report to their assigned duty stations, even on Thanksgiving, in the case of a work stoppage.

Joe Agnello, professional writer and public affairs officer with the PTC’s western regional office, would staff the mainline toll facility at Warrendale near the Allegheny-Butler County line.

According to Agnello, the duties of a tollbooth worker make for some big shoes to fill, and he’s apprehensive about diving into the job.

“We’re going to be working 12-hour shifts with eight hours of sleep,” Agnello said. “We’re hopeful it (a strike) won’t happen.”

He said dozens of management officials in the western regional office in New Stanton would be pressed into taking up toll-collection duty.

He added that the turnpike could be shorthanded on toll workers, although management can staff 90 percent of booths statewide. Administrators also may play the part of toll workers in order to relieve management of their duties for a short break.

“Everybody’s going to be playing out of position if this happens,” Agnello said.

Agnello, who has worked at the regional office for 11 years, said he’s never seen a work stoppage.

“And hopefully they won’t (go on strike) this time either,” Agnello said.

“These are the busiest travel weekends of the year, and traffic volumes have been going up,” he added. “There are more vehicles on the turnpike now than in history. And I’m sure this Thanksgiving will be one of the busiest ever.”

The turnpike is 531 miles long and has 57 fare collection facilities.

And keeping this key link open will be the PTC’s priority, Brimmeier said in a statement.

“We are absolutely committed to maintaining the smooth flow of traffic and a high level of safety and service on the road throughout the entire holiday period,” he noted.

DeFebo added by saying, “The turnpike will be open, no matter what,” even though he said it is a “strong possibility” that a strike could occur tonight or Wednesday.

“This is the time it (a strike) could have the biggest impact,” DeFebo said.

“People have to be aware of the possibility of this happening if they are planning to head to the turnpike today or tomorrow,” he added.

Negotiations between turnpike officials and representatives of its unionized employees have been rocky. The sides last met Nov. 15, but talks quickly broke down over the issue of retroactive pay. In October, the unions said they could strike at any time, without advance notice.

More than 2,000 members of Teamsters Local 77 in Philadelphia and Local 250 in Pittsburgh, both of which represent turnpike toll collectors, maintenance workers and office employees, have been working under the terms of a contract that expired Sept. 30, 2003.

The union claims that the PTC has not negotiated in good faith and that the turnpike commission still expects the workers to accept an offer the union already has rejected, according to a statement posted on the Web sites for both union locals.

“Teamsters Local 77 and 250 still reserve the right to strike at any time. All members should now prepare for a job action and continue to report to work until advised otherwise by your local union,” the statement read.

Brimmeier said Monday that a new “fair and generous” contract proposal that represents the PTC’s final offer was submitted to union employees. The offer includes an enhanced, fully paid health-care package that matches management benefits, annual pay increases programmed over each of the next three years as well as contract language that would help to ensure job security, he said.

“In order to avoid a strike on Wednesday, we hope that the union leadership will send our proposal out to the rank-and-file members for a vote,” Brimmeier said.

According to a statement from the Teamsters based in Washington, D.C., the Teamster-represented state turnpike workers and the PTC were stalled as of Friday as the two parties wrestled over compromises on key issues, including health care, job security, seniority, wages and job bidding.

The statement read that union negotiators were willing to accept the offered health-care plan, but not the right of the PTC to change the provisions in the coverage at any time.

Union spokesman Galen Munroe said officials with affected locals will not comment until negotiations are complete, and neither Munroe nor DeFebo could project a date when the two sides will finalize negotiations.