Railworker issues, lay them out for us.

[utahjeepr]

I'm looking to gain a better understanding of this. I know we have members in the industry here. I've seen plenty of comments in other threads to that effect speaking to working conditions.

So if y'all don't mind spending a little time bitching about the man I would like a better understanding of your concerns. I know there has been a lot said already but it's some here, some there. Bits and pieces spread over many threads.

If you can, keep the heat low and paint us a picture.

[Averageman]

I would like to know also because I think looking at this story from the surface, the .gov got involved and screwed you.

[Todd.K]

Apparently Dems get enough money from the teachers and other Gov employee unions. Real working people unions are beginning to and will continue to move away from Dems. They know it and don’t have any plans to reverse it. So under the bus working people go as soon as they become inconvenient.

That’s my main takeaway.

[HKGuns]

I would like to know also because I think looking at this story from the surface, the .gov got involved and screwed you.

That isn’t possible, XiDen is all about the working man, just ask him.

[Coal Dragger]

I would like to know also because I think looking at this story from the surface, the .gov got involved and screwed you.

Go read the Railway Labor Act of 1926. That will explain how Congress has authority to get involved.

Cliff notes of late:

1.) The big class 1 RR’s starting around 2015 or so adopted “Precision Scheduled Railroading” officially or unofficially to appease activist investors. PSR is none of the things it claims to be. It’s all about cutting costs to improve operating ratio. So cut employee headcount, defer maintenance, run off low margin customers, and slow down trains by making them huge and underpowered to “save” on crew starts and power.

2.) Since that time we have seen a roughly 30% reduction in craft and operating employees. In order to force those of us remaining to be available to do all the work, draconian attendance policies are in place to make taking time off very difficult and eventually punishable by termination.

3.) Since they ran off so many employees now they can’t effectively run their railroads if operating conditions deviate from optimal. A problem of their own design, the RR’s solution is of course to eliminate more jobs. So they have been trying to get rid of conductors on freight trains. Their thinking being that one man train crews will be easier to staff. Never mind the fact operationally it is a bad idea.

4.) With those goals of screwing employees over they entered contract negotiations in 2020 with no intention of negotiating in good faith. Their proposal was to give minuscule raises that would be pay cuts once health insurance costs were factored in. For conductors they demanded a pay cut for any remaining after eliminating the majority of positions.

5.) Many steps in the RLA and a couple of years later we arrived at Congress and POTUS imposing the findings of a Presidential Emergency Board on us. We got more money than RR’s wanted to give us, RR’s got some work change rules that will make everyone more miserable. Paid sick leave wasn’t addressed and the RR’s oppose it not because of how much 7 sick days cost, but because they are so understaffed they can’t let people have time off.

6.) Congress and POTUS did exactly what the RR’s wanted and prevented a strike, taking away the only real leverage employees have in negotiating. This is why they started the entire process unwilling to negotiate in good faith. The RLA just about guarantees they never have to.

[glocktogo]

Go read the Railway Labor Act of 1926. That will explain how Congress has authority to get involved.

Cliff notes of late:

1.) The big class 1 RR’s starting around 2015 or so adopted “Precision Scheduled Railroading” officially or unofficially to appease activist investors. PSR is none of the things it claims to be. It’s all about cutting costs to improve operating ratio. So cut employee headcount, defer maintenance, run off low margin customers, and slow down trains by making them huge and underpowered to “save” on crew starts and power.

2.) Since that time we have seen a roughly 30% reduction in craft and operating employees. In order to force those of us remaining to be available to do all the work, draconian attendance policies are in place to make taking time off very difficult and eventually punishable by termination.

3.) Since they ran off so many employees now they can’t effectively run their railroads if operating conditions deviate from optimal. A problem of their own design, the RR’s solution is of course to eliminate more jobs. So they have been trying to get rid of conductors on freight trains. Their thinking being that one man train crews will be easier to staff. Never mind the fact operationally it is a bad idea.

4.) With those goals of screwing employees over they entered contract negotiations in 2020 with no intention of negotiating in good faith. Their proposal was to give minuscule raises that would be pay cuts once health insurance costs were factored in. For conductors they demanded a pay cut for any remaining after eliminating the majority of positions.

5.) Many steps in the RLA and a couple of years later we arrived at Congress and POTUS imposing the findings of a Presidential Emergency Board on us. We got more money than RR’s wanted to give us, RR’s got some work change rules that will make everyone more miserable. Paid sick leave wasn’t addressed and the RR’s oppose it not because of how much 7 sick days cost, but because they are so understaffed they can’t let people have time off.

6.) Congress and POTUS did exactly what the RR’s wanted and prevented a strike, taking away the only real leverage employees have in negotiating. This is why they started the entire process unwilling to negotiate in good faith. The RLA just about guarantees they never have to.

Did anyone in Congress or the Administration tell the RR’s to stop dicking the dog and hire more people?

How many PTO days in total does a RR employee get per year?

[Pacific5th]

I work for the same outfit as Coaldragger. What he said is spot on. I won’t add to that but tell you guys what the working conditions/pay are vs what the RR’s say.

First off time off. Most RR jobs for Engineers/Conductors (TY&E) do not have a schedule or days off. Some do like yard jobs or locals but for my terminal 80% of us work the road. That means for most of us we get on a train at point A and get off at point B. These runs can be anywhere from 6-12 hours with most being around 10 hours. Anything over 12 we can be on the train still but not operating it. That happens frequently with my record being 23 1/2 hours on duty. When we get to point B we must go to a hotel for a minimum of 10 hours before they can call us again. Frequently we are in the hotel 12-24 hours. Then you go home again. I’d say an average time away from home is 30-36 hours. These jobs are not scheduled and have no set days off. Due to bad train lineups from the carriers we often get surprised when we get called. Example it looks like you will work at 0800 but surprise your phone rings at 2200. Time at home can be anywhere from 12-40 hours but for the last three months my longest at home time was 17 hours. 14-15 is the norm.

Now until early this year those of us with no schedule or days off could take 2 weekends and 5 weekdays off a month which was 1-3 less than a 9-5 M-F worker but we made it work. Early this year my outfit came up with a scheme called Hi-Viz where we get 30 points. M-Th cost you two points. Fri-Sat is 4 and Sunday is 3. If you use those points you must work/be available 14 days straight to get 4 points back. If you get to zero you get reprimanded and go back to 15. Do that twice more and you’re fired. So I’m essence with still no days off and no schedule if I layoff more then 2-3 times a month I will be fired in a year.

The RR’s claim we can still take time off but it’s a lie. We that are left are working constantly exhausted. Most of us are on a train 200-240 hours a month with 150-200 in a hotel I guess. We are tired and upset and just want the ability to take reasonable time off.

They also claimed we make 130-160k a year in a few statement. We may have a few that make 130k but no where near the majority is making that much.

Basically most of us just want the ability to take a reasonable amount of time off for faimily stuff/doctors/being sick without getting fired. I would also love to see our train lineups more accurately reflected so we can better know when we will work.

There is so much more but I did just get off a train after an all night run and I’m tired. I apologize if there’s any spelling or grammar errors in here. I typed this up on my phone in a hotel room lol.

[Pacific5th]

Did anyone in Congress or the Administration tell the RR’s to stop dicking the dog and hire more people?

How many PTO days in total does a RR employee get per year?

A new employee gets 2PLD and one week of vacation. It goes up with years. You can max out at 6weeks of vacation after 25 years and I think 8 or 10PLD’s

One of the issues though is the RR’s control how many people can use that on any given day. For my board of 100 people we have 10 slots a day and if they fill up your shit out of luck. We have many that carry these days over because they just can’t use them.

[StainlessSteelRat]

Just for context, I hired out on AT&SF in the early 90s, and we were crazy busy then. Back then though, we could call and lay off, whereupon you were off until you marked back up, at your discretion. Very few people abused that, as you gotta be marked up to make any $. For half of my career, that's how it was. It was fun then, when you could carry the Rules and the System Timetable in your pocket. Now, you'd need a backpack or plenty of room on an electronic device
Glad I'm done, is all I can say.

[HKGuns]

A new employee gets 2PLD and one week of vacation. It goes up with years. You can max out at 6weeks of vacation after 25 years and I think 8 or 10PLD’s

One of the issues though is the RR’s control how many people can use that on any given day. For my board of 100 people we have 10 slots a day and if they fill up your shit out of luck. We have many that carry these days over because they just can’t use them.

That’s pretty generous and a full week more vacation at 25 years than I had, also no carry-over. You don’t use it in the year you lose it.

Plenty of roles limit your ability to take vacation. I had to work through my 2 weeks of vacation last December because stuff happened that needed to be managed. I didn’t get it back and nobody cared on Jan 1st. I am well compensated and didn’t cry about it either.

That’s called life.

I’m salaried, not associated with a union because as you can see, they take your dues and talk big but in the end serve no purpose other to enrich those running the union.