BNSF Testimony before STB on congestion in rail system April 26, 2022

[CMStPnP]

This guy has a real interesting history.    BNSF employee, BNSF Management, Fired and then back to BNSF employee, then BNSF Union Rep.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVOzAaulEJ0

Full STB video on rail service  on April 26 & 27th (it's almost 10 hours long):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0rk5tnrFqA

 

 

[BaltACD]

CMStPnP

This guy has a real interesting history.    BNSF employee, BNSF Management, Fired and then back to BNSF employee, then BNSF Union Rep.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVOzAaulEJ0

Full STB video on rail service  on April 26 & 27th (it's almost 10 hours long):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0rk5tnrFqA

The progression of employee to management and back to employee is not uncommon within the industry.  Some even go back to management again and make another round trip to empoloyee.

Rail Management is not the 'bed of roses' many on the outside of the industry think that it is.

[SD70Dude]

For us, going from train or engine service to management is not viewed as a promotion.  You don't make any more money and have to work longer hours and deal with way more crap.  

[jeffhergert]

SD70Dude

For us, going from train or engine service to management is not viewed as a promotion.  You don't make any more money and have to work longer hours and deal with way more crap.  

 

You actually make less money going into field manangement.  The "more crap" comes from both above, and below.

Many officers who still hold seniority will come back for the last 6 months or year.  It's something to do with Railroad Retirement.  I'm not sure of the details or if it's something to do with the company's officer pensions.  Some come back as soon as they were vested in the company pension.

Now new management staff no longer get the pension.  Instead they get a 401k with a company match.  The pension was one of the draws to going into management.  For a while they were thinking about agreement people going into management relinquishing their seniority in their former crafts.  That way they couldn't go back if the management thing didn't work out.

Jeff 

 

[BaltACD]

jeffhergert

 

SD70Dude

For us, going from train or engine service to management is not viewed as a promotion.  You don't make any more money and have to work longer hours and deal with way more crap.   

You actually make less money going into field manangement.  The "more crap" comes from both above, and below.

Many officers who still hold seniority will come back for the last 6 months or year.  It's something to do with Railroad Retirement.  I'm not sure of the details or if it's something to do with the company's officer pensions.  Some come back as soon as they were vested in the company pension.

Now new management staff no longer get the pension.  Instead they get a 401k with a company match.  The pension was one of the draws to going into management.  For a while they were thinking about agreement people going into management relinquishing their seniority in their former crafts.  That way they couldn't go back if the management thing didn't work out.

Jeff 

I started in the crafts, got 'promoted' to management after I graduated from college (W2 that year showed a gross in excess of what my management salary was).  Seniority in my crafts (Telegrapher & Dispatcher) continued unimpeded until about 1987 to 1988 when the ATDA implemented a rule that to continue to accrue Dispatcher Seniority a 'company official' would have to pay a level of dues to the ATDA - I lost a little over 3 years of seniority when I was forced to excersize my Dispatcher seniority in 1990.  In retrospect, it was the best thing that could have happened on a number of levels.  My last 26 years were spent in the Dispatcher's craft.

[SFbrkmn]

I can only speak on behalf of BNSF. Craft workers, who jump ship to salaried management positions, continue holding on their craft union seniority as long as union dues are paid as required. These workers are placed on what is called working board "518" while in salaried working status.                                            At the beginning of this yr, we had a Supt Operating pratices (SOP) resign from management (which he had been in at least 30 yrs), went to the vac board (board 3) for 5 wks. Coming off a union vac, he was placed to the bump board (board 4). I am not sure what position he bumped to but likely had to get at least one start before pulling the pin and entering retirement mode (when a worker retires, he/she is placed on system board 593 for 60 days, and then removed from all seniority rosters.                                                                                                Sam                                                                                                                                                                             

[SD70Dude]

SFbrkmn

I can only speak on behalf of BNSF. Craft workers, who jump ship to salaried management positions, continue holding on their craft union seniority as long as union dues are paid as required. 

This used to be the case for us until about 20 years ago.  Now we only retain seniority for one year. 

My understanding is that the union leaders at the time were getting tired of seeing managers jump back to the crafts after long periods in management (like your SOP), and at the same time CN upper management (Hunter Harrison) wanted to eliminate what they perceived as managers having dual loyalties.  

Unfortunately this change greatly discouraged experienced employees from going into management and led to a lot more bullying trainmasters with zero railroad experience.  Some of those union leaders have come to regret agreeing to this change.  

[SFbrkmn]

SD70Dude

 Here is the opposite event of a ground service worker who went into management, gave up craft seniority and that decision came back to hurt (her). Been several yrs, likely a decade or so ago. Condr went to dispatching craft @ Kancks. This was a SF position as they are supervisor non-union positions compared to union BN slots. Thinking this was going to be a job for life, the roster spot was vacated and no more union dues to pay.                                                  Well... a few yrs later the carrier decided to move all functions out of state. Worker did not want to move. Going back to the craft, w/no seniority, meant going to the very bottom. In order to avoid that, the employee in question obtain a loan (amount unknown) to pay back the dues and get the original NH99 roster number returned, which was done. Lesson learned is never give up the craft seniority because one never knows.                                                                                     Around 2010 , I had a condr lady friend out west who decided to go SF dispatching @ Sanber. She made the correct decision and continued paying dues to keep her NH99 roster number. 

 

SFbrkmn

I can only speak on behalf of BNSF. Craft workers, who jump ship to salaried management positions, continue holding on their craft union seniority as long as union dues are paid as required. 

 

 

 

This used to be the case for us until about 20 years ago.  Now we only retain seniority for one year. 

My understanding is that the union leaders at the time were getting tired of seeing managers jump back to the crafts after long periods in management (like your SOP), and at the same time CN upper management (Hunter Harrison) wanted to eliminate what they perceived as managers having dual loyalties.  

Unfortunately this change greatly discouraged experienced employees from going into management and led to a lot more bullying trainmasters with zero railroad experience.  Some of those union leaders have come to regret agreeing to this change.