https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVSSCtQYUYs
Well, that was a great recruiting video for BNSF.
Any job worth having is going to require some sacrifices be made by the employee.
But, I'll tell ya, I've come to realize just how fortunate I was that the phone never rang after I attended that N.S. hiring session 18 years ago. I'd be feeling mighty exploited after years of dedicated service, just seeing them squeeze ever tighter.
I don't mind long hours, solid weeks at a time when necessary. But I've got to see light at the end of the tunnel, promised time off where I can have a life, too.
I work to live, not live to work.
The sad part.. When you talk to guys about why they quit.. It's always the same answer..Then they'll explain not only did they enjoy railroading. Riding cars on locals, or just operating the equipment.. Management and poor policy makes for a terrible work environment.
Not trying to be funny, but I hope there is a strike.. Some organizations just need to learn you can't treat those who make your business move as a liability... Automation isn't the answer either..
CMStPnPhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVSSCtQYUYs
While the Hi-Viz attendance policy is new. Failure to negotiate contracts in good faith has been a characteristic of railroads virtually ever since the first union forced the negotiation of the first contract.
I believe it was the Spring or early Summer of 1971, when the Union contracts had been expired for two or three years - the carriers unilaterally implemented 'New' work rules and compensation on all those expired contracts. Where I was working all T&E seniority districts and pool assignments were eliminated. T&E pay was based on 8 hours for a day's pay - no mileage component. Where crews had been operated between Willard and New Castle or between Hollaway, OH and Willard, Lorain and Cleveland - for instance - a crew would be put on a train and operate it for 16 hours through New Castle and on to Connellsville or Cumberland. Crews that had been handing coal trains out of Holloway were put on piggyback trains our of Willard and head them toward New Castle. After nearly a month of the 'New' rules, contract negotiations were completed. While 'rule violation' time claims were filed for the 'extra contract' actions employees were required to perform, to my knowledge those time claims were never paid.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Used to be a person's interests were converted into an occupation. We've learned that in many cases that it is wiser to keep them as a hobby. This is true across the spectrum of the transportation industry.
Just me talking - but I have to wonder if eventually the policymakers will realize that people don't want to work in the conditions the railroads currently offer.
Having a "take it or leave it" attitude clearly isn't working - people are leaving...
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...
tree68 Just me talking - but I have to wonder if eventually the policymakers will realize that people don't want to work in the conditions the railroads currently offer. Having a "take it or leave it" attitude clearly isn't working - people are leaving...
Darn, I guess we'll just have to go to one person crews because we can't hire anyone.
Jeff
The Oligarchs have taken over the C suite and want the peons to do their wishes. It may be time to tell them to do it them selves. I feal sympathy for the crews. The video is a powerfull tool. I hope it helps.
Response to Tree's comment of last evening [Posted by tree68 on Sunday, July 10, 2022 10:08 PM] Apparently the systyem gitched me out? showed aain this AM? ]
Just watched the OP's Video....As a long time railfan and interested observer who has known many railroad employees down through a number pof years. I am surprised that this situation has gone on without a 'Contract' fpr so long.
Where is the dues paying member's Union leadership? It certainly seems as if the Union's are not giving the dues paying membership, any value for their dues?
What is the deal with that? Just askin'
samfp1943Just watched the OP's Video....As a long time railfan and interested observer who has known many railroad employees down through a number pof years. I am surprised that this situation has gone on without a 'Contract' fpr so long. Where is the dues paying member's Union leadership? It certainly seems as if the Union's are not giving the dues paying membership, any value for their dues? What is the deal with that? Just askin'
Unions call for strikes - normally Presidential actions will be initiated at the carriers request and the strike will be legally enjoined from happening - Security Interestes of the Country.
Sometimes carrier(s) may get actually struck for periods of less than a day.
The FEC broke away from the National bargining council in 1963 and a strike commenced from 1963 to 1977 concerning staffing of trains.
The wives actually may be able to have more clout to complain than actual employees. Any pressure by BNSF on employees to shut up wives would really paint BNSF in a bad position.
EDIT: Let the wives picket.
BaltACD samfp1943 Just watched the OP's Video....As a long time railfan and interested observer who has known many railroad employees down through a number pof years. I am surprised that this situation has gone on without a 'Contract' fpr so long. Where is the dues paying member's Union leadership? It certainly seems as if the Union's are not giving the dues paying membership, any value for their dues? What is the deal with that? Just askin' Unions call for strikes - normally Presidential actions will be initiated at the carriers request and the strike will be legally enjoined from happening - Security Interestes of the Country. Sometimes carrier(s) may get actually struck for periods of less than a day. The FEC broke away from the National bargining council in 1963 and a strike commenced from 1963 to 1977 concerning staffing of trains.
samfp1943 Just watched the OP's Video....As a long time railfan and interested observer who has known many railroad employees down through a number pof years. I am surprised that this situation has gone on without a 'Contract' fpr so long. Where is the dues paying member's Union leadership? It certainly seems as if the Union's are not giving the dues paying membership, any value for their dues? What is the deal with that? Just askin'
Electroliner 1935The Oligarchs have taken over the C suite and want the peons to do their wishes
The whiz kids with heads full of pretty theorys but no knowledge of people or how the real world operates.
It reminds me of the gag gravestone someone set up at The Basic School (For Marine Officers) years ago:
"Here lie the bones of Lieutenant Jones who attended this institution."
"He died one night in a fire-fight while applying the School Solution."
EuclidIf working conditions are intolerable, and neither management nor the union will improve them; then the only solution is to quit the job. This will cause a shortage of labor, and the railroads will attempt to hire more. If they cannot higher enough, it will be a robust enough sampling to prove that wages are too low. So the only solution to not being able to hire sufficient labor is to raise wages. The industry will not have a choice unless U.S. the labor pool somehow increases and needs to compete for jobs. However, there are present factors that do point to that outcome as we move forward.
Again, you display your lack of understanding of railroads and their employment issues - both from the top down and the bottom up.
BaltACD Euclid If working conditions are intolerable, and neither management nor the union will improve them; then the only solution is to quit the job. This will cause a shortage of labor, and the railroads will attempt to hire more. If they cannot higher enough, it will be a robust enough sampling to prove that wages are too low. So the only solution to not being able to hire sufficient labor is to raise wages. The industry will not have a choice unless U.S. the labor pool somehow increases and needs to compete for jobs. However, there are present factors that do point to that outcome as we move forward. Again, you display your lack of understanding of railroads and their employment issues - both from the top down and the bottom up.
Euclid If working conditions are intolerable, and neither management nor the union will improve them; then the only solution is to quit the job. This will cause a shortage of labor, and the railroads will attempt to hire more. If they cannot higher enough, it will be a robust enough sampling to prove that wages are too low. So the only solution to not being able to hire sufficient labor is to raise wages. The industry will not have a choice unless U.S. the labor pool somehow increases and needs to compete for jobs. However, there are present factors that do point to that outcome as we move forward.
Euclid BaltACD Euclid If working conditions are intolerable, and neither management nor the union will improve them; then the only solution is to quit the job. This will cause a shortage of labor, and the railroads will attempt to hire more. If they cannot higher enough, it will be a robust enough sampling to prove that wages are too low. So the only solution to not being able to hire sufficient labor is to raise wages. The industry will not have a choice unless U.S. the labor pool somehow increases and needs to compete for jobs. However, there are present factors that do point to that outcome as we move forward. Again, you display your lack of understanding of railroads and their employment issues - both from the top down and the bottom up. Please explain what you think I am not understanding.
Please explain what you think I am not understanding.
Your problem - not mine!
Can someone (maybe a BNSF employee on this forum) explain the "Hi-Viz" policy and how the point system works? It sounds like employees are having to pay the company back for time they take off. In other words, are they being penalized monetarily for taking time off?
BaltACD Euclid BaltACD Euclid If working conditions are intolerable, and neither management nor the union will improve them; then the only solution is to quit the job. This will cause a shortage of labor, and the railroads will attempt to hire more. If they cannot higher enough, it will be a robust enough sampling to prove that wages are too low. So the only solution to not being able to hire sufficient labor is to raise wages. The industry will not have a choice unless U.S. the labor pool somehow increases and needs to compete for jobs. However, there are present factors that do point to that outcome as we move forward. Again, you display your lack of understanding of railroads and their employment issues - both from the top down and the bottom up. Please explain what you think I am not understanding. Your problem - not mine!
I absolutely knew that would be your response. I just asked a rhetorical question to prove it. Nice job.
Euclid... I absolutely knew that would be your response. I just asked a rhetorical question to prove it. Nice job.
It has been explained in the over 22K post I have made in the last 19 years. Do your research.
To Euclid,
At some wage, people still want to have a life. Care for their family, care for them selves and they can reach a point where that is more important that the money. It appears to me that the Railroad has cut (and pandemic has also reduced) their number of employees to the point that they have too few to provide for the operation of the trains and also allow for the personal time employees. need/desire to have a satisfactory life. The BNSF HiVis policy was the managment attempt to coerce the employees to be available more than they were and, IN MY OPINION, they over reached. The Railroad has dragged its feet on negotiating a new contract, and has unilateraly imposed the HiVis policy. Enough was enough and so the employees said so.
Would you work the hours that the RR is demanding on the terms they are imposing. I suspect not.
I hope BNSF remembers the old saying, "You can lead the horse to water but you can't make him drink." I hate to think what this is going to do to the logistics in this country and the container gridlock that it is causing.
Electroliner 1935To Euclid, At some wage, people still want to have a life. Care for their family, care for them selves and they can reach a point where that is more important that the money. It appears to me that the Railroad has cut (and pandemic has also reduced) their number of employees to the point that they have too few to provide for the operation of the trains and also allow for the personal time employees. need/desire to have a satisfactory life. The BNSF HiVis policy was the managment attempt to coerce the employees to be available more than they were and, IN MY OPINION, they over reached. The Railroad has dragged its feet on negotiating a new contract, and has unilateraly imposed the HiVis policy. Enough was enough and so the employees said so. Would you work the hours that the RR is demanding on the terms they are imposing. I suspect not. I hope BNSF remembers the old saying, "You can lead the horse to water but you can't make him drink." I hate to think what this is going to do to the logistics in this country and the container gridlock that it is causing.
Warren Buffet should be made to live under the Hi-Vis attendance policy.
I still say they need to weld the bathroom doors shut in the ivory towers of railroadom and hand out baggies with serial numbers and see who comes to work the next day.
EuclidIf working conditions are intolerable, and neither management nor the union will improve them; then the only solution is to quit the job.
The union is trying to improve them somewhat. Hence why we are in the cooling off period waiting to see if Pres. Biden will implement a PEB.
The RR's solution will not be to increase wages (or improve working conditions - funny how that always gets forgotten by a few on here) but to cry and beg congress to allow one-man crews. That's been the goal from the beginning. ALthough at this rate, I don't know if they will be able to even have enough guys in the future for that. Well, I guess we can go for the bigger goal of no-man crews. Happy stockholders!
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.
At least one can't blame PSR on BNSF's predicament as they are the only holdout. But it sure looks serious..
Ulrich At least one can't blame PSR on BNSF's predicament as they are the only holdout. But it sure looks serious..
BNSF has been doing PSR, too. They just don't call it PSR.
rrnut282I still say they need to weld the bathroom doors shut in the ivory towers of railroadom and hand out baggies with serial numbers and see who comes to work the next day.
I believe that was the NS way of doing things. Not the industry as a whole.
Electroliner 1935 To Euclid, At some wage, people still want to have a life. Care for their family, care for them selves and they can reach a point where that is more important that the money.
At some wage, people still want to have a life. Care for their family, care for them selves and they can reach a point where that is more important that the money.
Those same people that choose "quality of life" over a higher wage are often the same ones who complain about being priced out of the housing market......Hmm
An "expensive model collector"
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