Well, didnt make this round of UP hiring. E-mail said my application wasn't used. Wish I could reply and say HOLD ON TO IT...lol Oh well, keep watching the job listings. Copyright 2008 Jerry DeBene
Gabriel, your not missing anything bro, trust me...the place just ain't the same as it used to be...they have turned it into a politically correct version of what liberal human relations maggot think it ought to be. Can't do this, can't say that, can't think even anymore...and what HR misses, the lawyers finish off with....getting on and off moving equipment is not dangerous as long as you do it a reasonable speed, and it speeds the job up, while the new rules slow it down to a crawl...we used to haul ass out there and go home, now it take s8-10 hours to do what we used to do in 5-6...and this helps the customers how??? As far as what Ed just said above...remeber you said that when the UTU gets the door slammed in their face and the trains go engineer only and you are stuck in a low paying yard job cause your never gonna get in the other seat with all the guys ahead of you waiting their turn....UTU is killing you guys, and you go along with it... Copyright 2008 Jerry DeBene
Turning this post into a union flame war isn't going to happen.And yes I WILL be a engineer within the next year.As far as a low paying yard job, A yard engineer makes 20 bucks more than me a day.And wait they just gave up a 7 dollar allowance so now its down to 13 bucks a day.I don't see the huge difference there.And since I am covered under crew consist for another 20 years I think it is a conductor that is guarenteed a spot on the engine.What union someone chooses is there prefference not something that should be forced.I am in the union that holds my contract.When I am set up as a engineer I will then go to the union that holds my contract.And I won't bash the other union either way.Funny that when I was growing up I was always tought that unions are there to help the workers against the company.With asa much as the BLET and UTU fight the company sits back and laughs because we aren't bothering them. Copyright 2008 Jerry DeBene
Ed, spoken like a true newbie, good for you..after 20 years in the seat, try back again...the UTU has lost and given up more stuff to the railroads then you can imagine..but, you stick up for them...and enjoy that neat new thing they came up with called trip rates...more money from your pockets, whicht the BLE fought against, but YOur UTU layed down for....as for me, I'm flat rated on the LA Hub...trip rates are a distant nightmare for me..but not for you..... Copyright 2008 Jerry DeBene
I am sure I am late to this, but... Flat rate would be for a yard crew? Trip rate for a road crew? Which would pay more? Or does that depend on hours worked, anyway? Also, I suppose that tonnage hauled or engine weight is gone from consideration for pay? Copyright 2008 Jerry DeBene
Is 9 years still considered a newbie?HUH?As far as trip rates go,I got more money from them plus I still get my overtime and arbituaries.I haven't lost anything just got more. [ July 24, 2005, 10:46 PM: Message edited by: Ed Pinkley#2 ] Copyright 2008 Jerry DeBene
Better luck next time. I presume that no one at UP told you how to improve your chances? Copyright 2008 Jerry DeBene
Gabriel, don't worry, your not missing anything bro.....nothings moving, everyone is getting 14-16 a day, and out off thier rest...yes it's true, I have no life.....<sigh> Copyright 2008 Jerry DeBene
Lets not turn this topic into a Union Bashing excercise. As a Railway Employee with 26 years experience we should be encouraging people to join the industry. I see it all the time here in Aus where disgruntled employees are first to be so negative. I reply to them that if they are unhappy why work in the place that makes you so unhappy. The rail industry offers a lot to those willing to put into the industry Copyright 2008 Jerry DeBene
I myself have 20+ years in the IT world and today you can't find many that enjoy their jobs and you see a ton of "negitive" comments about Outsourcing, H1B Visa, etc. but I still come to work everyday and do my job; becuase that is what I do best. Here at TrainBoard we are open to hearing everyones opinions but not Flame Wars. If you have a strong statement to tell someone take in offline either via email or PM messages but keep the forums on topic and friendly... Copyright 2008 Jerry DeBene
I'm sorry, but in this day and age, I can not recommend UP to anyone as a way to make money...I'm stuck here, I have less years ahead of me than behind me, but for anyone else, why should they..??? The glory of running a train wore off in the first 15 minutes, after that I felt like I was trapped up there... Copyright 2008 Jerry DeBene
Do you think there is a better RR Company to work for in the same position you currently have? Copyright 2008 Jerry DeBene
Yes, either the Disneyland Railway, or the Knott's Berry farm Railroad, for starters.... Copyright 2008 Jerry DeBene
I have a friend who gets to run the steam engine at Six Flags Astroworld in Houston. They usually run diesels and only bring out the steamer every other Sunday so he does not get bored with it. His main paycheck comes from repairing pipe organs. Copyright 2008 Jerry DeBene
Santa Fe and SP were the last good companies to work for...now that the HR PC types and the Lawyers have taken over...it's just no fun.... Copyright 2008 Jerry DeBene
Unfortunatly, yes...but, some more than others....UP being pretty high up...BNSF right behind, with NS up there also...actually, I have heard nothing but bad about working for NS...CSX seems to be getting worse also....we had a great division out here after the merger..most of the management was SP and they let us alone and let us do our job. Now, they blame us for everything that goes wrong while they are the ones who can do nothing right....sigh..I HATE to *****, but you asked... Copyright 2008 Jerry DeBene
Another friend of mine worked as Yard Master at Englewood for SP. When UP took over they kept him on but kept beating him up over using old SP practice of blocking groups of cars in the flat yards around Houston before running them around the hump in Englewood. They wanted to shut down all the flat yards and just run everything over the hump. More efficient that way they thought. So, he gave up and did it their way. Turns out this was ground zero for the big UP meltdown that followed soon after. Guess who got fired? He was a much easier person to be around after that. Did not have to put up with all the fussing and moaning any more. UP started using the flat yards again and things seem to be working once more. Copyright 2008 Jerry DeBene
