Railroad Engineers BLET Strike

[Hrbdizzle]

Before some of you get your information, and opinions from the Fox News, or Any other main stream media source. I offer you a venue here to ask questions and find out what's truth or not from a Engineer's standpoint. From most of the threads on here, I gather the majority are Anti-Union. But the railroad life is way different than any other union, and most have no idea of what we deal with.

I'm not going to be able to come up with facts and data to rebuttle whatever the media sources can dig up. I can just offer what it's really like.

For those in the not know. The BLE-T (Teamsters Union) have walked away from the bargaining table with the Major R.R. Carriers. Because of the Staggers Act, the President can/will force us back to work by signing a PEB board, that will pretty much let congress hear the differences and make a decision. Obama being labor friendly there is quite the debate going on, as to how fast he signs, ordering us back to work. One day of a strike could cripple the country. Obama has less than 12 hours to interject or else the BLET walks at 00:01 10/07/11..

 

[chrisheltra]

I say find new people that can do the work without others (union) getting in the middle of the situation.

 

[AznStanger3v]

In this economy, it baffles me that people are going on strike. I understand that you/everyone feels as if they aren't getting what they truly deserve, but thank God (or whoever you pray to) that you have a job and can provide for your family. This is a one-sided deal for me for 2 reasons, one of them being super selfish. lol. I'm in the military and if I don't like something, then I can cry it into a pillow, because that's about as far as it goes for someone giving a shit. My other, selfish, reason is that I waited for 4 weeks for my internet appointment and the day before it got installed, the Verizon workers went on strike. So I had to get Cox. :lol:

 

[chrisheltra]

So I had to get Cox. :lol:

:dw:

Dont ask dont tell dude! Sheesh

 

[Hrbdizzle]

Find new workers? You mean hire new Engineers off the street? That's like saying hire new Airline pilots off the street. Sorry it takes years on the job to become even half assed competent to operate a train. That's where we have the RailRoads by the balls. Else they would.

 

[AznStanger3v]

:dw:

Dont ask dont tell dude! Sheesh

get with the times, killa. Obama did away with that. :lol:

 

[FL-Orange]

Google let me down and didn't provide me with the reasons for the strike. Links?

 

[Hrbdizzle]

I agree the economy is weak and Americans are out of work. But we caved the last three contracts. At the same time the Major carriers are boasting record profits every quarter, look at Union Pacific. In the 60's and 70's having a career in the railroad was in line of having a close to a Drs salary. Now we are in lines of a construction worker. Mind you trains grew from 6,000ft long to 15,000+. We have no days off, no Holiday pay,no COLA, work in a highly dangerous environment.

 

[Hrbdizzle]

FL-Orange go to

Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen

Media hasn't had their hands on it yet

 

[Ironhand]

Normally you walk off from a job and you get fired. I dont see the military going on strike..

So unions are unneeded in this country. If Ford paid normal wages to its employees then the cost of a Ford vehicle would go down. 16 dollars an hour for unskilled laborer is insane. I would have to have a couple of ASEs and about 2-3 years of experience to pull that wage and Id still be flat rate.

Looks like I will throw in a few applications for the railroads now.

 

[Hrbdizzle]

Yeah well 99% of jobs offer workers compensation for an injured employee. Not the railroad. You get hurt at work,you have to seek legal representation and sue. No workers compensation for us. We are under FELA.

OSHA is non existent for us
So for us a Union is much needed.

 

[FL-Orange]

FL-Orange go to

Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen

Media hasn't had their hands on it yet

Which link? I was on the website, a lot of links mention the strike and bargaining but not the actual position/demands.

I can only somewhat sympathize, I haven't had a raise in 5 years and my wife hasn't had one in 3 years because of the economy. I try to be open minded but am somewhat hesitant to offer support or condemnation without additional information.

 

[Hrbdizzle]

That stuff will all be made public I'm sure by tomorrow if Obama doesn't Sign the PEB. The UTU our Conductors, just agreed to a deal that looks great to the public. An 18% raise over the next 6 years. That's what the media will hype. But between the lines is where you have to read. Eliminated Cola. Created a yearly deductible Along with a CO-pay with health care. Forced generic meds, a 95 dollar emergency room visit fee.

So if my conductor has a family, and his son breaks his arm and goes to the ER in January it will cost him out of pocket
1400.00 yearly deductible for family
95.00 ER visit
And if the antibiotics/pain pills for the broken arm are not offered in generics
Full price.....

 

[FL-Orange]

That stuff will all be made public I'm sure by tomorrow if Obama doesn't Sign the PEB. The UTU our Conductors, just agreed to a deal that looks great to the public. An 18% raise over the next 6 years. That's what the media will hype. But between the lines is where you have to read. Eliminated Cola. Created a yearly deductible Along with a CO-pay with health care. Forced generic meds, a 95 dollar emergency room visit fee.

So if my conductor has a family, and his son breaks his arm and goes to the ER in January it will cost him out of pocket
1400.00 yearly deductible for family
95.00 ER visit
And if the antibiotics/pain pills for the broken arm are not offered in generics
Full price.....

That's what a lot of people have, maybe even better. COLA...lol, what's that? (not serious question). 18%, again I've had 0% over 5 years and no COLA.
Really makes it hard to sympathize. I can see pushing for OSHA coverage and realistic workers comp.

Don't get me wrong, I know how important the rail system is and the reality of the current condition of some lines but......
And what's with the secrecy?

 

[Hrbdizzle]

Theres no secrecy. All unions negotiate bargaining things behind closed doors. Bottom line both parties cannot reach an agreement. I'm sure the Carriers want the same deal as the UTU took without a fight. The BLET at east is trying to fight. I mean come on it's 2012 almost. We deseve Holiday Pay we have to work them. I haven't had a Christmas home in 6 years. I've been home for 2 thanksgivings.

How about profit sharing?
401k match?
How about lunch breaks?
All of these things we do not have..

 

[HEMIHUNTER]

Which link? I was on the website, a lot of links mention the strike and bargaining but not the actual position/demands.

I can only somewhat sympathize, I haven't had a raise in 5 years and my wife hasn't had one in 3 years because of the economy. I try to be open minded but am somewhat hesitant to offer support or condemnation without additional information.

I agree. No offense but it sounds like you're not stating all the facts.

 

[SID297]

This may turn out bad for the Union. I can see the companies starting to spend major dollars to convert locomotives to be something akin to automated drones.

 

[chrisheltra]

Theres no secrecy. All unions negotiate bargaining things behind closed doors. Bottom line both parties cannot reach an agreement. I'm sure the Carriers want the same deal as the UTU took without a fight. The BLET at east is trying to fight. I mean come on it's 2012 almost. We deseve Holiday Pay we have to work them. I haven't had a Christmas home in 6 years. I've been home for 2 thanksgivings.

How about profit sharing?
401k match?
How about lunch breaks?
All of these things we do not have..

Most people would look for a new job I would think.

 

[thomas91169]

Find new workers? You mean hire new Engineers off the street? That's like saying hire new Airline pilots off the street. Sorry it takes years on the job to become even half assed competent to operate a train. That's where we have the RailRoads by the balls. Else they would.

GTFO of here!

Give me 2wks otj shadowing. Ill do it just as good as anyone.

It cant be that hard, aint like you gotta turn, or deal with traffic or maintain a given altitude. You have the throttle to provide the necessary tractive effort given the conditions and your random alertness buzzer that you gotta hit whenever it goes off. Dang.

Speaking of which, any job that requires a random alertness buzzer to make sure the employee is awake cant be that difficult. Consequence for not hitting the buzzer in time? The train automatically engages the brakes and dispatch calls the cabin to see whats up, Nobody dies. If a pilot (and copilot if applicable) fall asleep, plane crashes and everybody dies.

Now an old school coal locomotive engineer and boilerman team? That takes skill.


Sent from my iPhail using Tapatalk while doing 90 on the freeway and streetracing through traffic. What now?

 

[NyteByte]

GTFO of here!

It cant be that hard, aint like you gotta turn, or deal with traffic or maintain a given altitude. You have the throttle to provide the necessary tractive effort given the conditions and your random alertness buzzer that you gotta hit whenever it goes off. Dang.

Agree. I had the opportunity a while ago to drive a real train at a railway museum after practicing on a simulator.

It's not that hard. Quite fun actually.

Also, it's just plain wrong that any union that would strike while knowing it would hurt the economy. Thugs... Find some other way to negotiate.