Euclid There is status symbol competition among companies to claim they are full of happy employees. So they imbue that into their employee culture and make everyone aware that they are supposed to be happy. I sense a lot of that in the Glassdoor website. I believe that employees should be made safe and comfortable in doing their work, but all this focus on the value of fun and happiness is kind of sappy and shallow if you ask me.
There is status symbol competition among companies to claim they are full of happy employees. So they imbue that into their employee culture and make everyone aware that they are supposed to be happy. I sense a lot of that in the Glassdoor website. I believe that employees should be made safe and comfortable in doing their work, but all this focus on the value of fun and happiness is kind of sappy and shallow if you ask me.
Doesn't work either.. no workplace that I've ever encountered is full of happy people.. most people are struggling, mostly angry, and unhappy.. everywhere you look.. and its never their fault. Most any employer can get is a capable employee who is grounded and conducts him/herself professionally. It's a dog eat dog world, and often employees don't appreciate or even notice the protective cloak employers provide their staff.. heaven forbid they have to make a living on straight commission, where you don't eat if you can't sell whatever it is that you offer.
rdamon I believe there is no such thing as an anonymous employee survey and I answer them accordingly
I agree, and I avoid answering them whenever possible.
If forced I usually treat them like the "ever-popular public opinion poll":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8oN-kPPpqE
Greetings from Alberta
-an Articulate Malcontent
SD70Dude rdamon I believe there is no such thing as an anonymous employee survey and I answer them accordingly I agree, and I avoid answering them whenever possible. If forced I usually treat them like the "ever-popular public opinion poll": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8oN-kPPpqE
When I was still working, we had an annual employee engagement survey that all employees were “asked” to complete. Participation was “voluntary” and all responses were “anonymous”.
I can recollect sitting in a Monday morning staff meeting of department managers where the discussion turned to a response rate to the survey that was not yet 100%. The senior manager leading the meeting then told each of us which employees had not yet completed the survey and told us we were to take the necessary steps to ensure 100% participation or risk getting dinged on our annual bonuses.
Easy enough to make them anonymous.. Why not take the time to complete the survey if you're not happy with your job or with the direction the company is going?
Ulrich Easy enough to make them anonymous.. Why not take the time to complete the survey if you're not happy with your job or with the direction the company is going?
I took the last two surveys. I guess I did because it actually led to some changes, like someone actually read them. Before when they had taken surveys, not much was ever said after they were tallied. I'm not sure why they (seem to) care now how employees feel. I know they don't care how I, and others, feel about the direction of the company.
The survey is anonymous. I guess I was just lucky when they asked me to rate my direct supervisor by name, and only that manager. Other questions about local management were nameless and general in nature. I don't remember if they asked about Lance Fritz or just the 'CEO' on those questions.
Jeff
jeffhergert Ulrich Easy enough to make them anonymous.. Why not take the time to complete the survey if you're not happy with your job or with the direction the company is going? I took the last two surveys. I guess I did because it actually led to some changes, like someone actually read them. Before when they had taken surveys, not much was ever said after they were tallied. I'm not sure why they (seem to) care now how employees feel. I know they don't care how I, and others, feel about the direction of the company. The survey is anonymous. I guess I was just lucky when they asked me to rate my direct supervisor by name, and only that manager. Other questions about local management were nameless and general in nature. I don't remember if they asked about Lance Fritz or just the 'CEO' on those questions. Jeff
Yep.. surveys are a great tool if used properly and where the questions are well thought out. Years ago I implemented regular driver surveys at a large truckload carrier I worked for.. almost everytime the feedback was surprising to the management and often lead to some immediate changes that resulted in better working conditions and/or improvements to the bottom line. In one specific instance we switched around some people in dispatch which bumped driver retention by almost 20% in the following quarter!
Unless it's a huge department, when you rate your direct supervisor by name, it's not very anonymous.
We get written surveys at work plus we have town hall type small group meetings. I have a small group meeting with a VP in about another two weeks. Its cool when they meet directly with you because you get instant feedback on your comments. Did you hit below the belt? Did they frown? Did they agree? Sometimes it is hard to tell but most of the time I can figure it out from the body language.
My next suggestion in two weeks is actually worthy of publication here. Going to ask for my employer to get with the other employers locally and subsidize a direct Airport to downtown bus service every hour on the hour. This individual shuttle business, one shuttle per person is wasteful of money in my view. I am curious how they will take this. They got the money to put in place and the President of the organization was very pro-transit and Economic Development. So it might be well recieved.
charlie hebdo A day after Glassdoor comes out and announces Union Pacific as the worst company to work for in the United States, their new incoming CFO announces this... https://www.wsj.com/articles/incoming-union-pacific-cfo-in-search-of-additional-efficiencies-at-u-s-railroad-11569623942 I guess the board wants to just see fast stock rises in prices.
A day after Glassdoor comes out and announces Union Pacific as the worst company to work for in the United States, their new incoming CFO announces this...
https://www.wsj.com/articles/incoming-union-pacific-cfo-in-search-of-additional-efficiencies-at-u-s-railroad-11569623942
I guess the board wants to just see fast stock rises in prices.
From the link provided by C.H. This fiollowing seemed to 'jump' out as well as the comment also noted by Zardoz:
FTL:"...Under its “Unified Plan 2020” operating strategy, Union Pacific closed some hump yards, where freight trains are broken down into separate cars, reassembled and sent to their next destination, as well as expanded train lengths, Ms. Hamann said in an interview Friday.
“We are going across our network to make detailed analysis,” she said, adding that the company is continuing to look for opportunities to rationalize. Union Pacific idled about 2,300 locomotives as part of the transition plan and is using fewer freight cars to move goods.
Ms. Hamann said she is focused on executing against the plan, which is set to help achieve an operating ratio of 55%—an important financial metric describing a company’s operating expenses as a percentage of revenue—and deliver a more reliable service to its customers..."
It seems that Union Pacific is on their way to NOT being a 'powerhouse' railroad(?) OPne has to wonder when the axe will fall on the UPRR's Steam Program(?). I noted in the article another statement that mentioned a term not heard in years....RATIONALIZATION....I remember when that same term was used to tear down the Illinois Centeral RR [Previously known as "The Mainline of Mid-America" and turned it into what amounted to " A Back-alley Route'....IC Industries morphed into Whitman's {Chocolates}, whe then morphed into Pepsi America(ie: Pepsico(?) and then a Div of CNR.
I guess that in a few years we'll remember UPRR as a bad dream for what it was- one of the last Old American Raiklroads??
charlie hebdo jeffhergert Ulrich Easy enough to make them anonymous.. Why not take the time to complete the survey if you're not happy with your job or with the direction the company is going? I took the last two surveys. I guess I did because it actually led to some changes, like someone actually read them. Before when they had taken surveys, not much was ever said after they were tallied. I'm not sure why they (seem to) care now how employees feel. I know they don't care how I, and others, feel about the direction of the company. The survey is anonymous. I guess I was just lucky when they asked me to rate my direct supervisor by name, and only that manager. Other questions about local management were nameless and general in nature. I don't remember if they asked about Lance Fritz or just the 'CEO' on those questions. Jeff Unless it's a huge department, when you rate your direct supervisor by name, it's not very anonymous.
No it's not.. but what the heck, sometimes you've just got to be honest regardless. So you're one of eight or 20.. if its a weak supervisor he/she will have a sizable number of responses that reflect that.. you won't stick out too much..
samfp1943 charlie hebdo A day after Glassdoor comes out and announces Union Pacific as the worst company to work for in the United States, their new incoming CFO announces this... https://www.wsj.com/articles/incoming-union-pacific-cfo-in-search-of-additional-efficiencies-at-u-s-railroad-11569623942 I guess the board wants to just see fast stock rises in prices. From the link provided by C.H. This fiollowing seemed to 'jump' out as well as the comment also noted by Zardoz: FTL:"...Under its “Unified Plan 2020” operating strategy, Union Pacific closed some hump yards, where freight trains are broken down into separate cars, reassembled and sent to their next destination, as well as expanded train lengths, Ms. Hamann said in an interview Friday. “We are going across our network to make detailed analysis,” she said, adding that the company is continuing to look for opportunities to rationalize. Union Pacific idled about 2,300 locomotives as part of the transition plan and is using fewer freight cars to move goods. Ms. Hamann said she is focused on executing against the plan, which is set to help achieve an operating ratio of 55%—an important financial metric describing a company’s operating expenses as a percentage of revenue—and deliver a more reliable service to its customers..." It seems that Union Pacific is on their way to NOT being a 'powerhouse' railroad(?) OPne has to wonder when the axe will fall on the UPRR's Steam Program(?). I noted in the article another statement that mentioned a term not heard in years....RATIONALIZATION....I remember when that same term was used to tear down the Illinois Centeral RR [Previously known as "The Mainline of Mid-America" and turned it into what amounted to " A Back-alley Route'....IC Industries morphed into Whitman's {Chocolates}, whe then morphed into Pepsi America(ie: Pepsico(?) and then a Div of CNR. I guess that in a few years we'll remember UPRR as a bad dream for what it was- one of the last Old American Raiklroads??
It's going around, source from a North Platte guy, that UP had a chance to pick up some coal train contracts worth about 7 or 8 loads daily. (Needless to say, but I'm saying it anyway, not all to the same power plant.) UP wasn't interested.
In other problems last night. An axle broke on a 10K manifest derailing one car. They were lucky on that. Meanwhile, a 275 car coal train went into emergency. Broke into 4 pieces, or got 3 knuckles. Train was stuck almost 6 hours putting it back together. They split it back into two trains after that.
jeffhergertMeanwhile, a 275 car coal train went into emergency.
Reminds me of the 198 car train of coal empties I saw back in the seventies. ICG, two Geeps, clearly on their knees. That one wasn't for economy, I don't believe. I think they were just short of power on the north end (Chicago) and sent the empties back with what they had. As flat as Illinois is, there are still some grades. I have little doubt the locos spent considerable time in their short-time ratings.
The usual northbound coal trains (from the southern Illinois coal fields) ran just under 100 cars.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
jeffhergertIt's going around, source from a North Platte guy, that UP had a chance to pick up some coal train contracts worth about 7 or 8 loads daily. (Needless to say, but I'm saying it anyway, not all to the same power plant.) UP wasn't interested.
jeffhergert In other problems last night. An axle broke on a 10K manifest derailing one car. They were lucky on that. Meanwhile, a 275 car coal train went into emergency. Broke into 4 pieces, or got 3 knuckles. Train was stuck almost 6 hours putting it back together. They split it back into two trains after that.
Eventually UP is going to need to increase traffic just to service their debt. For the last 5 years or so they have touted how they have returned more than 100% of earnings to shareholders. They have done this through borrowing money for share buybacks. Their long term debt has increased dramatically. At the point in time that there is an extended economic downturn, servicing that debt could prove problematic. The one positive, is with interest rates at historic lows, the long term debt UP has loaded up on is at low interest rates. Hopefully when it is time to roll the debt over it will be at equally low rates.
See slides 8-9-10 from this 09/04/19 UP presentation:
https://www.up.com/cs/groups/public/@uprr/@investor/documents/investordocuments/pdf_up_cowen_present_9.4.19.pdf
Here is some very interesting comparative information from CN who is actively working to grow carloads.
https://www.cn.ca/-/media/Files/Investors/Presentations/CN-Investor-Presentation-en.pdf?la=en&hash=2DCF26530777F628B9260A728742A92E7430C2CE
zardoz jeffhergert It's going around, source from a North Platte guy, that UP had a chance to pick up some coal train contracts worth about 7 or 8 loads daily. (Needless to say, but I'm saying it anyway, not all to the same power plant.) UP wasn't interested. Jeff, was the rumor mill giving any reasons as to why they were not interested? It would seem to be a slam-dunk way of utilizing some of their stored locomotives and furloughed employees. jeffhergert In other problems last night. An axle broke on a 10K manifest derailing one car. They were lucky on that. Meanwhile, a 275 car coal train went into emergency. Broke into 4 pieces, or got 3 knuckles. Train was stuck almost 6 hours putting it back together. They split it back into two trains after that. Was the engineer running the train, or was it run by computer? And if by computer, did anyone get to say, "We told you so"?
jeffhergert It's going around, source from a North Platte guy, that UP had a chance to pick up some coal train contracts worth about 7 or 8 loads daily. (Needless to say, but I'm saying it anyway, not all to the same power plant.) UP wasn't interested.
Jeff, was the rumor mill giving any reasons as to why they were not interested? It would seem to be a slam-dunk way of utilizing some of their stored locomotives and furloughed employees.
Was the engineer running the train, or was it run by computer? And if by computer, did anyone get to say, "We told you so"?
There was no reason given, but I think (IMO) that you answered your own question. I don't think they want to have to add people or equipment. The trains would add money to the botom line, but might raise the Operating Ratio in doing so.
I don't know if the computer was running the show or not. It happened in a bad area that's prone to break in twos, or fours. I don't know where all the breaks happened. When we came by them they were putting the last joint together about 50 or so ahead of the rear end DP locomotive.
kgbw49For the last 5 years or so they have touted how they have returned more than 100% of earnings to shareholders. They have done this through borrowing money for share buybacks. Their long term debt has increased dramatically.
This sounds like the financial equivalent of a pyramid scheme.
jeffhergertThere was no reason given, but I think (IMO) that you answered your own question. I don't think they want to have to add people or equipment. The trains would add money to the botom line, but might raise the Operating Ratio in doing so.
Have to love the PSR way.
It's been fun. But it isn't much fun anymore. Signing off for now.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any
zardoz jeffhergert In other problems last night. An axle broke on a 10K manifest derailing one car. They were lucky on that. Meanwhile, a 275 car coal train went into emergency. Broke into 4 pieces, or got 3 knuckles. Train was stuck almost 6 hours putting it back together. They split it back into two trains after that. Was the engineer running the train, or was it run by computer? And if by computer, did anyone get to say, "We told you so"?
And if it was run by an engineer, would you be fine with the TO programmer saying, "we told you so"?
An "expensive model collector"
Ulrich charlie hebdo jeffhergert Ulrich Easy enough to make them anonymous.. Why not take the time to complete the survey if you're not happy with your job or with the direction the company is going? I took the last two surveys. I guess I did because it actually led to some changes, like someone actually read them. Before when they had taken surveys, not much was ever said after they were tallied. I'm not sure why they (seem to) care now how employees feel. I know they don't care how I, and others, feel about the direction of the company. The survey is anonymous. I guess I was just lucky when they asked me to rate my direct supervisor by name, and only that manager. Other questions about local management were nameless and general in nature. I don't remember if they asked about Lance Fritz or just the 'CEO' on those questions. Jeff Unless it's a huge department, when you rate your direct supervisor by name, it's not very anonymous. No it's not.. but what the heck, sometimes you've just got to be honest regardless. So you're one of eight or 20.. if its a weak supervisor he/she will have a sizable number of responses that reflect that.. you won't stick out too much..
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
Murphy SidingHe said he knew we had given him a bad credit reference because all three of us had.
Well, that hurts...
tree68 Murphy Siding He said he knew we had given him a bad credit reference because all three of us had. Well, that hurts...
Murphy Siding He said he knew we had given him a bad credit reference because all three of us had.
So the idiot stiffs three companies on a continuing basis, lists those companies as credit references and then gets butt hurt when the truth is reported.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
n012944 zardoz jeffhergert In other problems last night. An axle broke on a 10K manifest derailing one car. They were lucky on that. Meanwhile, a 275 car coal train went into emergency. Broke into 4 pieces, or got 3 knuckles. Train was stuck almost 6 hours putting it back together. They split it back into two trains after that. Was the engineer running the train, or was it run by computer? And if by computer, did anyone get to say, "We told you so"? And if it was run by an engineer, would you be fine with the TO programmer saying, "we told you so"?
zardoz
jeffhergert In other problems last night. An axle broke on a 10K manifest derailing one car. They were lucky on that. Meanwhile, a 275 car coal train went into emergency. Broke into 4 pieces, or got 3 knuckles. Train was stuck almost 6 hours putting it back together. They split it back into two trains after that. Was the engineer running the train, or was it run by computer? And if by computer, did anyone get to say, "We told you so"?
Running a train of that length and tonnage on undulating territory is asking for trouble, no matter who or what is running it.
I have seen some good Engineers do dumb things on occasion. I have seen some people who should not be Engineers qualified and made to run trains anyway. But the vast majority of guys do a good job and keep some really awful trains together and get them over the road.
Sometimes Trip Op does a good job, this is true (CN doesn't use any of the other systems). But we have all seen it do some really stupid things on a pretty regular basis. And while I can't speak for the other railroads, CN has some lines with challenging terrain where Trip Op is not used.
At this point in time Trip Op is not ready to run the big show by itself. And as long as the railroads continue to use 100% pneumatic brakes, manually-operated couplers, and run monster trains with lots of slack there will always be a need for human employees.
This is to say nothing of what happens when there are problems with the track, as opposed to the train. I have yet to see Trip Op sweep out a switch, or spot and report a broken rail or rough track.
Quoting SD70Dude "This is to say nothing of what happens when there are problems with the track, as opposed to the train. I have yet to see Trip Op sweep out a switch, or spot and report a broken rail or rough track. "
I'm glad I had not gotten to my breakfast with cofffee, milk, and orange juice before reading Dude's comment.
Johnny
BaltACDSo the idiot stiffs three companies on a continuing basis, lists those companies as credit references and then gets butt hurt when the truth is reported.
BaltACD tree68 Murphy Siding He said he knew we had given him a bad credit reference because all three of us had. Well, that hurts... So the idiot stiffs three companies on a continuing basis, lists those companies as credit references and then gets butt hurt when the truth is reported.
So many people enable these slow/no payers by reporting falsely or not reporting at all. I also report it honestly and if they get upset about it I tell them that all they need to do is pay their bills within terms.. and like magic.. they're rating improves.
Upper management shakeups on UP and CSX are more evidence of changes, likely because of problems and slumping numbers.
https://www.freightwaves.com/news/csx-and-union-pacific-make-changes-to-sales-and-marketing-teams
Or normal turnover.. people come and go, even in the higher ranks the faces around the table change for a number of reasons that don't involve the business.
Ulrich Or normal turnover.. people come and go, even in the higher ranks the faces around the table change for a number of reasons that don't involve the business.
I don’t know. Dean really isn’t that old and wasn’t talking about retirement the last time I spoke with him.
UlrichOr normal turnover.. people come and go, even in the higher ranks the faces around the table change for a number of reasons that don't involve the business.
Did Hunter die again?
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