Every successful garden requires weeding out and getting rid of unwanted pest.
15 replies (most recent on top)
if you didn’t spend $50,009 on tools working for someone else, then obviously you haven’t worked anywhere as a mechanic. (Paid your dues) served your apprenticeship or whatever.
People here made a decision to take a railroad job and be in the union and they act like their decision is everyone else’s fault. If you don’t like it leave. Nobody wants to work next to a complainer. Do yourself and everyone else a favor and scram.
Bought out by the railroads. Interesting thought but where and whom did they buy? Or are you just talking smack?
Railroad unions are totally worthless. All bought out by the Railroads. We’d be alot better off without them!!
I dont know what your craft is but I'm a machinist. This is my second time getting furloughed. After I went to college for diesel mechanics. Worked on trucks for 15 years before coming here. Started at about half to two thirds of what the guys at full pay were making but doing the same jobs. It costs me 50 cents an hour to be in the union. It costs me two or three dollars an hour to buy and maintain my tools. I also dont know of any machinists that turned wrenches before going to the railroad that didnt have to buy their own tools. I have my grievances about the union just like everyone else. But I also reliaze I make more at the railroad then I did working on trucks and feel way better at the end of the day. And after eight hours I get to walk out the door.
Sorry to hear you are laid off. I have been laid of three times during my RR employment. I’m still working as of now, but who knows what tomorrow brings.
I have been railroading since 1998, and for the most part really liked it. I’ve seen a few things over the years that have changed that feeling, but I still do my job to perfection. I have worked in different departments and also been a supervisor.
We see things very differently, and that’s ok with me. The one thing I will tell you is I would never spend $50,000.00 of my own money on tools to work for someone else.
Good luck.
Unions in the rail industry are a double edge sword. They get us many benefits we wouldn't have without them. Better health insurance etc but at the same time they are powerless against the company and seem to do whatever they want. At the same time while breaking the stick off in the younger members asses. Sh– days off having to work because the holiday falls on your day off. I wouldn't want to work at a UP shop without the union but at the same time they really only work for the guys at the top of the rosters
I'm already laid off, that's how I also know. If you are talking about large companies with thousands of workers, sure most are union. I'm not. You may have a few unions at small places, up to 500 employees. But not many. That would cover most of the shops for ag and the trucking industry. As far as the producers only staying, most of the time those are the old guys. You cut the youngest cause they are the least knowledgeable. And there are lots of people that's get wrote up and fired for attendance. All I know is when I walked in the door I made the same wage as a machinist that had been there for 35 years and my $50000 in tools stayed at my house.
That’s where your wrong, most all industries are union, but when it comes to a reduction in forces the bottom of the barrel ( performance, attendance, etc. ) go home. I’ve personally seen it for myself. As far as non union I can assure the youngest don’t go home first if their producers.
As far as managers issuing discipline, it’s a long drawn out process that supports useless individuals thanks to the union.
Your one of those since I had to do it twenty years ago, then so do you. Stuck in an outdated, corrupt error. Good luck to you finding a job when your cut off. Hopefully that doesn’t happen, cause I don’t like seeing anyone struggle no matter which side they support.
When companies cut people they cut the bottom union or non union. These are 24/7 jobs, new people work the bad shifts union or non union. Most places where you go to work you better have your own tools, hard to turn a wrench when you dont have one. I have never had an issue getting ahold of my griever. And its managements responsibility to discipline people not working, they have that power. If you dont like being in a union go to a scan shop, I'm sure they would love to hire you. And you definitely dont start out at full pay most places.
To the get involved post. I have been involved. This is based on experience. The unions have been bought out, corrupt, and stealing money for a fake service long before PSR was even heard of.
So please share some basic benefits of being part of a RR union. I can name just a few of top my head that are not.
Pay below average industry.
Working below individuals less qualified that have one day of seniority over you.
Quality of life is gone, due to supporting out dated union CBA.
Try contacting a union official. GOOD LUCK!
No job security.
Benefits are getting worse.
Men and women laid off that took pride in their jobs. Whoops that falls back under seniority.
Employees during safety briefings openly saying I got seniority, I’m not doing anymore work then I have been to the younger employees!
So I’ll start over from the top! UNIONS ARE K–lING JOBS!
I agree Unions are bad , especially when all the railroads come together and form one in order help each other suppress wages and benefits for the working class. Kinda the same way when local Chamber of Commerce do the same thing in cities and communities. Then they buy a politician or two from either party to accomplish their goals.
Unions, each and every union member make up the unions. Before you complain about the unions, ask yourself this; when was the last time you went to a union meeting? What have you done to promote your union? Unions are only as strong as the membership. If you don’t like the way your union is run, do something about it. Get involved and stay involved! Complaining does zero good if you don’t participate.
Is that why they walked out all those non-agreement employees in Omaha after achieving record profits? Cause of the unions? Cool. What about the lady they fired that was non-agreement and was only able to work part-time because of her cancer? Did the unions make them fire her too?
Unions need to make changes.....they need to fight to help secure jobs and discontinue promoting ways to be stubborn, work against the common goal, but unions help so many. Now, the title of your thread is bad as non-union companies, management in union environments are more to blame than unions. U.P. too many management employees behave as though they are better than craft employees...sometimes simply because they have title x. When management uses this approach, we don't and won't ever succeed as a company.
Also, its a shame that some benefits have to be negotiated if you are a union employee, while non-agreement were just given many benefits. Come on U.P., I thought we were a family!