Railroads never learn to manage their staff. After the hoiidays and during challenging weather demand for crew shrinks. Exports will ramp up once the foreign grain elevators use up their stock bought before the threat of tarriffs. Then demand for bulk materials will ramp up when highway construction starts to boom. Bet the railroads scramble in the spring and start hiring again. Too bad that an MBA degree doesn't include analysis of business history and its normal ups and downs.
jeffhergertA lot of managers have been checking to make sure their seniority is still good on their home districts. Management, at all levels, is expected to be where the largest cuts will be made. Jeff
Jeff
The oxymoron of cost reduction management from the board room levels. Rank and File employees are just numbers and we can cut them with impunity. First and Second level field management are no better and we don't need them either.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
A lot of managers have been checking to make sure their seniority is still good on their home districts. Management, at all levels, is expected to be where the largest cuts will be made.
Hmm "I couldn't possibly comment on that, but you might well think so."
Disillusionment can be a real problem in a variety of ways and because of certain types of personnel in management.
charlie hebdoYoung, new employees can be motivated to learn and strive for excellence or be total slackers.
Many "slackers" started out as young, eager employees that strived for excellence but were beaten down over and over.
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
Murphy Siding BaltACD ChuckCobleigh jeffhergert The satirical translation was "They will end up remaking all the same mistakes that previous CEOs had already made." Disagree. The new CEO will be more likely to find new mistakes that nobody had seen before. Will repeat many of the old mistakes as well as make new original mistakes. And somehow still find another job after they fail at this one and blame others.
BaltACD ChuckCobleigh jeffhergert The satirical translation was "They will end up remaking all the same mistakes that previous CEOs had already made." Disagree. The new CEO will be more likely to find new mistakes that nobody had seen before. Will repeat many of the old mistakes as well as make new original mistakes.
ChuckCobleigh jeffhergert The satirical translation was "They will end up remaking all the same mistakes that previous CEOs had already made." Disagree. The new CEO will be more likely to find new mistakes that nobody had seen before.
jeffhergert The satirical translation was "They will end up remaking all the same mistakes that previous CEOs had already made."
Disagree. The new CEO will be more likely to find new mistakes that nobody had seen before.
Will repeat many of the old mistakes as well as make new original mistakes.
And somehow still find another job after they fail at this one and blame others.
Failure from the CEO level always blames the underlings and uses the Golden Parachute.
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
Old heads can be wise or hangers-on dead wood. Young, new employees can be motivated to learn and strive for excellence or be total slackers.
jeffhergertThe satirical translation was "They will end up remaking all the same mistakes that previous CEOs had already made."
n012944 BaltACD PJS1 Unless one is a subscriber to the Wall Street Journal and Barron’s, h/she cannot open the complete article per the links above. What is the message? Businesses should not lay off workers if business conditions change for the worse? Of the approximately 3,000 workers UP is furloughing or letting go, how many were given voluntary separation packages, early retirement packages, etc. And what are the details? How many supervisors and managers are being let go? Or given early retirement packages? How much institutional knowledge is be ushered to the door - so the mistakes of the past can be repeated and relearned in the future and at what cost? Meh, that "institutional knowledge" is also a lot of "we have always done it this way" that prohibits changing with the times.
BaltACD PJS1 Unless one is a subscriber to the Wall Street Journal and Barron’s, h/she cannot open the complete article per the links above. What is the message? Businesses should not lay off workers if business conditions change for the worse? Of the approximately 3,000 workers UP is furloughing or letting go, how many were given voluntary separation packages, early retirement packages, etc. And what are the details? How many supervisors and managers are being let go? Or given early retirement packages? How much institutional knowledge is be ushered to the door - so the mistakes of the past can be repeated and relearned in the future and at what cost?
PJS1 Unless one is a subscriber to the Wall Street Journal and Barron’s, h/she cannot open the complete article per the links above. What is the message? Businesses should not lay off workers if business conditions change for the worse? Of the approximately 3,000 workers UP is furloughing or letting go, how many were given voluntary separation packages, early retirement packages, etc. And what are the details? How many supervisors and managers are being let go? Or given early retirement packages?
What is the message? Businesses should not lay off workers if business conditions change for the worse?
Of the approximately 3,000 workers UP is furloughing or letting go, how many were given voluntary separation packages, early retirement packages, etc. And what are the details?
How many supervisors and managers are being let go? Or given early retirement packages?
How much institutional knowledge is be ushered to the door - so the mistakes of the past can be repeated and relearned in the future and at what cost?
Meh, that "institutional knowledge" is also a lot of "we have always done it this way" that prohibits changing with the times.
True. But, meh, sometimes there's a reason "they've always done it that way." Because it's the way that works best.
I'm reminded of reading a satire of sayings that businesses use in press releases. One was something like "We're bringing in Mr/Mrs/Ms X as our new CEO. Since he/she is from outside the industry, he/she doesn't know what can't be done." The satirical translation was "They will end up remaking all the same mistakes that previous CEOs had already made."
mudchicken On the engineering side, loss of that "institutional knowledge" has caused mistakes to be reborn. (Case in point: The RTD crossing signal mess in Denver.) Good railway engineering types to not grow on trees. They are a special breed. Many of the recent new-hires didn't last two years. (and the other end of the spectrum are retiring faster at an alarming rate.)
On the engineering side, loss of that "institutional knowledge" has caused mistakes to be reborn. (Case in point: The RTD crossing signal mess in Denver.)
Good railway engineering types to not grow on trees. They are a special breed. Many of the recent new-hires didn't last two years. (and the other end of the spectrum are retiring faster at an alarming rate.)
Sadly true. Unfortunately, some neolithic corporate types think of people as interchangeable pieces in an assembly line, not having a clue about how work experience sharpens skill sets.
samfp1943 The effects of the 737 max issue, in terms, of rail shipments was dealt w/many months ago. The regular assigned Boeing turn out of Newton was abolished last April. Service now is bk at the pre 2015 level working off the extra board and is called when needed. BaltACD PJS1 charlie hebdo Then go and pay for a subscription, what? Then answer the questions that I raised regarding the terms of the furloughs or layoffs. Try summarizing the three major points in the article. A person of your self implied brilliance ought to be able to do that. From experience - buyouts go to the highest paid and most knowledgable in their field - aim, reduce payroll now, who cares about what they know. Furloughs go to rank an file - if an when any are called back, the company will be LUCKY if they get 20% of those furloughed to return. Once furloughed they will find other jobs and not want to give up whatever situation they have worked themselves into to return to the unstable nature of the railroad. I am just going to 'side step' the 'Food Fight' without further comment! To Balt's comments: I think you are spot-on! Currently, here in Wichita, we are just starting to deal with a major-layoff at Spirit Aviation. TRAINS readers have possibly seen the recent article, on the Boeing 737 Max airliner, and its rail envolved traffic via BNSF to final compleation near Seattle. Many have read of the problems with this aircraft, and the crash related production recertifications of its systems(?). Here at Spirit Aviation they have announced and started layoff/furloughs(?) of between 2 and 3K production employees...The management involved, has already been delt with... So the' news media' has stated that production might start around June(?) Found the following linked article that sheds some light on that situation: linked @ https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/faa-says-737-max-could-return-sooner-than-boeing-said/ar-BBZiU5c?ocid=spartandhp According to that, Spirit may not have to shed too many of the employee knowledge base..
The effects of the 737 max issue, in terms, of rail shipments was dealt w/many months ago. The regular assigned Boeing turn out of Newton was abolished last April. Service now is bk at the pre 2015 level working off the extra board and is called when needed.
BaltACD PJS1 charlie hebdo Then go and pay for a subscription, what? Then answer the questions that I raised regarding the terms of the furloughs or layoffs. Try summarizing the three major points in the article. A person of your self implied brilliance ought to be able to do that. From experience - buyouts go to the highest paid and most knowledgable in their field - aim, reduce payroll now, who cares about what they know. Furloughs go to rank an file - if an when any are called back, the company will be LUCKY if they get 20% of those furloughed to return. Once furloughed they will find other jobs and not want to give up whatever situation they have worked themselves into to return to the unstable nature of the railroad.
PJS1 charlie hebdo Then go and pay for a subscription, what? Then answer the questions that I raised regarding the terms of the furloughs or layoffs. Try summarizing the three major points in the article. A person of your self implied brilliance ought to be able to do that.
charlie hebdo Then go and pay for a subscription, what?
Then answer the questions that I raised regarding the terms of the furloughs or layoffs.
Try summarizing the three major points in the article. A person of your self implied brilliance ought to be able to do that.
From experience - buyouts go to the highest paid and most knowledgable in their field - aim, reduce payroll now, who cares about what they know.
Furloughs go to rank an file - if an when any are called back, the company will be LUCKY if they get 20% of those furloughed to return. Once furloughed they will find other jobs and not want to give up whatever situation they have worked themselves into to return to the unstable nature of the railroad.
I am just going to 'side step' the 'Food Fight' without further comment!
To Balt's comments: I think you are spot-on! Currently, here in Wichita, we are just starting to deal with a major-layoff at Spirit Aviation. TRAINS readers have possibly seen the recent article, on the Boeing 737 Max airliner, and its rail envolved traffic via BNSF to final compleation near Seattle.
Many have read of the problems with this aircraft, and the crash related production recertifications of its systems(?). Here at Spirit Aviation they have announced and started layoff/furloughs(?) of between 2 and 3K production employees...The management involved, has already been delt with... So the' news media' has stated that production might start around June(?)
Found the following linked article that sheds some light on that situation: linked @ https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/faa-says-737-max-could-return-sooner-than-boeing-said/ar-BBZiU5c?ocid=spartandhp
According to that, Spirit may not have to shed too many of the employee knowledge base..
An "expensive model collector"
Why should I have to pay the wsj so I can have an adult discussion with you?
If you choose to not summarize the talking points, then there there is no talking to be done.
Better if they just hired corporate types like "the VP in charge of looking out the window" (a cartoon character of the Chicago CBS weatherman, PJ Hoff, 60 years ago) who do no real harm. Progressive companies try to (or pay lip service to) take into account all their stakeholders: employees, customers, the environment and the public, not just stock owners and upper management. The WSJ (hardly a socialist rag) pointed out the numerous cutbacks and the rehires the UP has made starting in 2008. Wasteful and shortsighted.
charlie hebdo "Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?"
"Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?"
Many of the best publications have firewalls these days.
charlie hebdo I choose not to. You are like a lazy student who wants everything done for them and when that isn't forthcoming, they get nasty. You are the only person on here who complains if you can't access an article and when you are given it, as we've witnessed with David K., you complain that it isn't summarized for you. This is not the corporate suite, sir.
Asking a presenter to summarize an article, especially one that does not appear in a publication that is not open to the public, is not unreasonable. In fact, I was required to summarize material as an undergraduate and graduate student. It is not just a skill confined to corporations.
You have no idea of my work habits! None!
A lazy student? Well, I am glad to learn that there are no lazy retired professors participating in these forums. Lazy is refusing to summarize the key points of an article that one if drawing reference to!
I pointed out that the linked websites are restricted. And asked a few questions. What I got was a nonsensical response about subscribing to the publications and accusations of laziness.
You are the most arrogant person that I have ever encountered on a forum of any kind. You consistently talk down to people as if they should care. I don't! Believe me!
Rio Grande Valley, CFI,CFII
I can't read the linked articles either, but they may be something like this:
https://fox4kc.com/2020/01/03/union-pacific-is-railroading-the-community-union-leader-says-after-jobs-cuts-at-armourdale-yard/
I choose not to. You are like a lazy student who wants everything done for them and when that isn't forthcoming, they get nasty. You are the only person on here who complains if you can't access an article and when you are given it, as we've witnessed with David K., you complain that it isn't summarized for you. This is not the corporate suite, sir.
Then go and pay for a subscription, what?
charlie hebdo PJS1: There's no need to guess about the content or complain about a firewall. Do you expect the WSJ to give it away free? If they do, they'll be out of business soon. I summarized what UP is doing, sans editorializing, briefly above.
PJS1: There's no need to guess about the content or complain about a firewall. Do you expect the WSJ to give it away free? If they do, they'll be out of business soon. I summarized what UP is doing, sans editorializing, briefly above.
I don't think companies like Apple fire seasoned (not deadwood) employees in the US at every downturn in the economy. That is why they are successful.
What is the message? Businesses should not lay off workers if business conditions change for the worse? Of the approximately 3,000 workers UP is furloughing or letting go, how many were given voluntary separation packages, early retirement packages, etc. And what are the details? How many supervisors and managers are being let go? Or given early retirement packages?
It depends on who is being let go. And for how long. Without any idea of who is departing, and for how long, you don't have a clue of the impact on the company.
The notion that corporations are dependent on a relatively small percentage of the workforce, including the executives, for their survival is unrealistic.
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