Why is it that the mechanical guys get hammered because they ratified and didn't "stick together " with transportation? Where was transportation all the years of work being outsourced? That's right, they were the first ones signing the contract because work rules were threatened. I hope everyone gets everything they wanted, but there is no two way street. Transportation cares about transportation and they will wave goodbye as mechanical employees get shown the door time after time because there are other companies trying to take the work.
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Unfortunately a lot of the mechanical work has been outsourced. It’s basic business- they can get it done cheaper so they do it. It’s too bad it has to be that way, many people lost their jobs. Big greed always wins. Contract isn’t horrible for mechanical. Could’ve been better for sure. Transportation guys are getting pounded. The companies won’t give you more home time cause they have no one to backfill the jobs. They have created a mess. Last month ontime customer delivery was 55% ! Very sad yet they keep on raking in the $. Frustrating. Good luck all.
From what I've seen no department has a lock on laziness. I've seen some pretty useless carmen but I'd also like a dollar for every time one of us has been called in about a handbrake going out that turns out to have been the head two cars. As far as y'all doing our work, it seems like most of the time it's because you can't be bothered to wait for us to do it. Or you can't be bothered to set out any bad orders that result. Cutting out bad orders seems to really hurt some conductor's feelings. Also, the top pay for a carman right now is 37.62 after 2 years and comparable for the other crafts. The railroad can't seem to keep anyone even at that rate. I'd like to see a contractor keep anyone at what would be significantly less pay. TTX was recently forced to raise its pay rates for exactly that reason.
Because you guys are the first to sit on your a-s in the warmth or the cool office while you let the conductor take EOT’s off, work air or any other job you can let them do so you don’t have to! You guys are like that in P-town and it’s probably the same everywhere else! You are and were the laziest bunch on the system. And then the first to whine and bi--h when they cut your jobs off!
I would recommend anyone who is young get out. There’s no future in the railroad like in the past. Used to be if you were one of the few who were luck enough to get a railroad job you were set for life. Now it’s just another average at best job. Stop kidding your self, move on, get out.
Take a look on indeed if you think your job is SAFE! I see Carmen, loco mechanical, engineers, conductors, and signal contractor jobs!!! It's coming. They want the Least liability in operations but maximized profits! They would love for just a handful of managers to watch over groups of contractors!
Scabs are doing the mechanical work across the USA. Repairs will get done either way. IMHO, we are probably the last generation of railroaders who will make decent money and be able to retire. Most up and coming scab "railroaders" pay around $20 an hour and don't pay into RR retirement. I've seen Conductor jobs on Indeed for as little as $16/hr.
Wabtech has already taken over the over haul business. Mechanical is hanging on by a thread.
I never would want mechanical to give up anything. But I am not writing the contracts, all we can do is vote no then the Union rigs the vote anyways.
We won't be in the transportation business either if the repairs don't get done.
We are not in the over haul business