SEPTA, Be Fair To Women Workers

Use all sick leave before they can use any maternity leave. If the use maturinity leave and return and get hurt then they will lose their job.

Jobs with Justice has been fighting to win basic, humane levels of paid sick-leave for Philadelphia’s workers since 2006. Because of supporters like you, we have been able to win paid sick leave for hundreds of security guards at the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University, Temple University and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Every worker needs enough time to get well without risking their economic security, to take care of ailing family members without fear of losing their job and to insure that they can perform their job to the highest standards of quality and public safety without fear of reprimand.

The employees who work for SEPTA also need paid sick leave. They also need maternity leave. Unfortunately, though, they don’t have a fair maternity leave policy at their job. Women who work for SEPTA have to use their sick leave as their maternity leave. What happens if they use all of their sick leave during their pregnancy or while recovering from child birth? They better not get sick, that’s what.

This gender bias policy is unfair. The Transportation Workers Union Local 234, which is in contract negotiations, are trying to correct this policy by instituting a sick leave policy that doesn’t penalize motherhood. These workers need a separate policy that insures that women workers can still afford to get sick and raise their babies!

Come out and support TWU Local 234 at a rally on Thursday, March 26th at 2:45 pm at 1 South Juniper St. March with us to SEPTA headquarters at 1234 Market St.