It’s hard to believe that the union could careless how many members it loses? At some point wont all these cuts affect the unions bottom line? Or are they being subsidized by the company to look the other way? Our local chairman seems very unmoved nor shows any concerns for what is happening. How can we find out? Is there anyway to legitimately fight back?
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Unions are only as strong as their weakest member. United you stand, divided you beg!!
It has to be a union rep that is confused! They are sleeping with UP management
A journeyman electrician in Chicago with 5-9 years makes $39.31/hr. 10-19 years exp pays $42.42/hr. So yes, you’re confused.
I guess I'm a bit confused. Does the railroad not give you pay above what is average for your job title? In the real world journeyman heavy equipment mechanics make about $28/ hr, journeyman electrician pay is about $29 per hour. That's "journeyman" not many at the railroad will qualify for that. The unions have helped you more than you think.
Union meetings are useless and they talk about absolutely nothing
Of course it profit for the shareholders. They’re not in business to be your personal charity organization.
PSR is the tool used, but greed is the real driver. We are nothing more than numbers on a labor sheet. If you can put enough value into the stock price to make shareholders get richer, they will keep a number of laborers at producing locations. If not, you will be cut. Plain as that. If doesn’t matter that they don’t bring the work for you or if you are a low or high performer. There is no humanity in the process beyond the shareholder.
I personally think that the railroads love the unions. Without them they wouldn't be able to have collective bargaining and would have to actually come up with competitive pay. They can also withhold any pay and just tell you tell your griever. Otherwise there would be lawsuit after lawsuit about pay. I know sounds stupid but just my one cent.
I love going to Union meetings, I like to come in late and crop dust everyone.
Why is it hard to believe? I’ve been here for going on 14 yrs...they wasn’t their then and they are not here now. What’s so hard to believe? It’s like that dad that tells you after a divorce he’s gonna take you to a baseball game but 14 hrs later your still waiting.
IBEW had zero leadership in the 2016 travesty. We turned down the contract twice but it was passed the second round with no changes from the first time. Fear and intimidation worked on enough people to accept the horrible offer instead of getting something worse. That is what happens when you would prefer to lick your masters hand on your knees than fight for what you think is fair.
The railroad unions, or at least the majority of the rank-and-file members, voted themselves into oblivion in 2016 and appear poised to do so again at the end of this year.
Union members have nobody to blame but themselves for their own predicament, and should thus thus stop wondering "where the unions are" or why they are otherwise getting screwed.
Your union reps were voted in by the members. Quit complaining. The UP sets headcount not the unions. Do your job. Complaining makes you look weak. Doing your job is for the strong.
The only job the Union does other than be a POWER BOTTOM is keep track of seniority. My local chairman can barely spell his own name.
THEMS THE FACTS
If the unions are so useless and helpless, they need to stop taking dues and get another line of work.
Exactly what is the union supposed to do if union Pacific wants to run their company into the toilet? Unions have absolutely no say in business decisions made by the uprr corporation.....you people who think the unions have a say in any of this PSR stuff are absolutely clueless
They can set vacations...
And tell you that the company can violate the agreement.
I think people have unreal expectations for what a union can do The federal government k–led them when they took away the main tool they have, the ability to strike.
I am certain with PSR and the sad performance by Union “leaders” in the last round, UP will not be motivated to make any concessions. Once again you will hear that this is the best we can hope for. UP wants the Union gone.
The local chairman are pretty much useless. Ask them about the bylaws and they dont know squat. Its pretty pathetic. They have no balls but they are more than happy to eat with management and take home the food from the Christmas party.
The only way to make the unions stronger is by uniting all its members and sticking together with the other unions. All for 1 and 1 for all. But sadly this will never happen there is no unity, too many lazy people and too many rats.
Sadly, the unions also represent some of the short lines and contractors that you are being replaced with. They will continue to raise dues to offset any loss they see in paying members. The spine is gone in all Railroad unions these days. The most powerful ability any union possesses is striking. We have been stripped of that, and until we get it back, we will never be taken seriously.