Thread regarding Union Pacific Corp. layoffs

How this is possible, I can't understand

Why do we have people at UP who have been here for years and still have no idea what their duties are and how to do them? It amazes me when somebody who's been here longer than me (sometimes twice as long) comes to me for help over the most basic things. How is this happening???

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| 1992 views | | 15 replies (last June 4, 2021) | Reply
Post ID: @OP+1b9pu7uC

15 replies (most recent on top)

Yeah, I’m pretty sure my boss has a learning disability. UP sure knows how to promote the winners.

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Post ID: @2qvp+1b9pu7uC

I've seen how they treat the employees in the non union Intermodal yards....no thanks.
They run them ragged to meet unrealistic metrics and the end result is shoddy work. The consist and train make up end up plagued with rookie mistakes that ensure consistent downstream trouble and delays. The air tests are often pencil whipped, we're told it's done and yet find we cannot depart due to multiple cocks closed throughout the train.....there is no way you air tested the train in that condition. Shenanigans.

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Post ID: @1zlf+1b9pu7uC

For the person that said unions were to blame and they keep you from making what you are worth, you are either a manager with no seniority or stupid (or both). I don’t like everything the unions do, but if the railroad wasn’t unionize you would be making 15-20 per hour with either no medical insurance or very limited insurance. There is no way the railroads would pay you more without the unions. The managers that dislike the unions should also think about this: without the union employees having higher salaries due to being union, the managers salaries would not be as high either. Everyone in the company except the executives would suffer if the unions went away.

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Post ID: @1feb+1b9pu7uC

I understand I have my manager all the time asking me how to do this and that simple answer I’m not helping u....managers don’t know how to the basic job

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Post ID: @1grn+1b9pu7uC

I have very little senority. I started in signal construction but am now in signal maintenance. My manager who was an EA is worthless, my foreman is his best friend. I cannot ask them questions, they get angry and attack me when I do. Last time I asked how to do something my foreman told me if I have to show you I don't need you. There are 2 older high seniority maintainers I made friends with. They show me and answer my questions. If it wasn't for them I would've quit. My manager and foreman have even told me not to ask those guys for help, but to call them first. I think all of union pacific is like this for some stupid reason.

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Post ID: @1ems+1b9pu7uC

Unions and that all mighty seniority. Those of us who are stuck on the bottom are expected to learn and know everything but those at the top get to sit on their as--s and use the excuse they just don't know.

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Post ID: @1why+1b9pu7uC

As a welder I love spreading all my knowledge to everyone. I just don’t feel appreciated by my co-workers,

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Post ID: @1zvr+1b9pu7uC

In engineering I’ve seen this for various reasons. Some guys are good enough morally they want to do a good job but when they ask “how” they get yelled at that they should already know how to do that. (I’ve seen managers do that alot when they themselves dont know the answer to that question) This causes them to be afraid to ever ask questions. Another is promoting sycophant suck ups that work harder at brown nosing their way up the ladder than learning their craft. (contributing to whats called the “peter principle” in business speak). The lazy immoral amongst us have no motivation to learn anything much less actually do anything. They therefore just sort of exist at work doing the bare minimum when they are forced to perform any task. When they have to perform a task they almost always do so w/ assistance from someone else. Ever work w/ someone who uses FMLA, medical leave, or always has some excuse so they cant perform a task and they do those things more than everyone else in that work group combined? You’d be surprised how many years can go by w/ people who do that daily.

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Post ID: @jft+1b9pu7uC

I know what I’m doing. I just laid off. Wanted me to take a grain train. Said I was the only one rested. I said actually I’m not rested I’m kind of sleepy so lay me off. She laughed. I laughed. Everybody laughed except my local manager probably didn’t.

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Post ID: @yov+1b9pu7uC

@OP You can thank the unions and collective bargaining.

Your unions protect and promote the most complacent workers based on seniority, inhibit career mobility, and prevent you from being paid what you’re worth as an individual.

The only people defending unions are those who don’t have the skills or ability to compete in the modern job market.

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Post ID: @zrx+1b9pu7uC

It's great when a shop gets shut down and they dovetail above you, then you have to show them your job so you can get laid off

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Post ID: @pnm+1b9pu7uC

If you are talking about transportation, it can most likely be traced back to a very inadequate training program. The majority of the "training instructors" are people who are afraid to work themselves and have watered down the training to the point of being totally useless.

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Post ID: @dfw+1b9pu7uC

What is your job? Craft? Your post does not have enough information to give an intelligent response.

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Post ID: @ugp+1b9pu7uC

Common sense would dictate that they were never asked to perform that task before, or have not done it in a long time and the procedure is different. We are now in the situation where people are expected to be jack of all trades, which is fine, but it leads to them being quick and efficient at none of the tasks so overall, tasks are performed less efficiently because nobody specializes in anything anymore.

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Post ID: @zvl+1b9pu7uC

You'll have to be more specific about this.

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Post ID: @xri+1b9pu7uC

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