When I started years ago at the UP, I was met with some nice folks and a lot of questionable management. Today, I'm not even sure what I'm dealing with there anymore. You have too many new people walking around aimlessly, and management doing sneaky sh-t to write people up. Then I was just informed that even more cameras are going up at most if not all mechanical facilities to watch every mechanical employee doing the work for any rule infraction they can find. Okay, why? If the work is being done without injury, then what's the problem?? I never saw a single person at my location get hurt, ever! All I can say is that the overuse of cameras at mechanical facilities is going to have an opposite effect. The cameras aren't going to do a dam thing except convince people even more to leave this company faster, which is why I'm leaving. If people can't come to work without worrying about whether or not they'll be written up and fired for doing the job they were hired to do, then why come here? There's two managers in every direction you look and most of them are d-mber than squirrel sh-t anyways! I would come in and work on a engines, actually get things fixed and would largely be left alone. Now, I have so many extra steps to do now before I can even touch the equipment. How is that efficient? Take all of the extra safety steps, add that to the extra cameras being installed, and you're going to have the slowest RR in North America. I can't do my job efficiently anymore because I'm not given enough time to do everything on them. So now I'll have a camera in my face watching my every move, and probably get written up anyways for not completing every task. There's no point in staying here any longer! It's not worth it, and all it's going to do is stress me out. I can't work for a company anymore who's main objective is just write people up and fire them. Good luck to the UP on finding anyone who will put up with it. Get ready for the turnover of employees to explode! Goodbye UP! I won't miss you!
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@1fg You should go check out the hearings the UP had in regards to the lack of manpower. I think you're not understanding that the contractors don't follow the UP way! They're a separate entity that follows their own business rules, not the UP rules. There's simply not enough contractors to hire to have everything the UP wants done when they want it done. Contractors may be cheaper, but you do get what you pay for! Cheaper isn't better, and those past hearings proved that. Check them out!
@1fg And we all know contractors are disposable in the railroad’s eyes.
You are not hurting them by quitting. They want you to quit so they can bring in more contractors.
I don't worry about the cameras at all! As matter of fact, I stopped worrying about the cameras after I quit when Vena showed up. Everyone I worked with at the UP all quit too! A lot of people that are still at the UP has very little to no respect for any management at the UP, and most believe that the current management there couldn't find a ho---r in a wh--e house anyways! The management at the UP can't do the work of the people they manage, and they dam well know it. Just give it time! The management will always find a way to sc--w things up, they always do! When the cameras do go in, then I hope they have a secondary plan for when people leave, because that day is coming for them!
Dont worry about cameras guys, things are going so well the company is buying back 1.5 billion of its own stock! We dont need to spend money on ties, tracks, locomotives, or hiring and training the next generation of railroaders.
I quit a few weeks ago. I was questioning myself as I was quitting, but it’s been a month now at my new job and it has been amazing. Don’t be afraid to leave if you can. You will thank yourself later.
Bye
@hz I'd really like to agree with you with the attorney idea but it's just another fight that no one really wants. You hire an attorney for what? Just to fight to keep the job that forced you to hire that attorney in first place? It's a lot of wasted time and money to go back to or to keep the job that many have grown to hate, plus there's the target on your back thing as well. The railroad has already been on notice for some time now, and it's just getting worse day by day. It's sounds like the OP has time with the company, but I need to agree with the OP that it's just time for some to cut their losses and leave. It's also sounds like they've done enough fighting already. If the UP can't or won't trust their own employees and feels the need to install cameras for prospective disciplinary purposes only, then that's a place no one wants to work at. The UP is going to undo itself very quickly if they don't stop with the games and soon!
Wait till you have to start wearing the body cam. It’s already being done on Canadian railroads in mechanical
This is the companies end game. If they can’t recruit or keep mechanical employees they can claim duress and turn to vendors to maintain the fleet, getting rid of more of the unions who are currently either asleep at the wheel, bought off or just apathetic to the whole thing.
Sorry to hear they have beaten you down, refocus, you did not come out here for them, the only thing they can do is yell boss more cameras, they can barely walk upright, they know nothing, it's like what have they done and put in the water, this company would net minimum 6 billion profit a quarter if they rid the company of yes men. Stay strong and look hire an attorney, start your profile with an attorney so you can document everything they do with an attorney. I had an attorney send them a legal letter for harassment and discrimination and the bull sh-t stopped. Yea I have a target on my back, but they were placed on noticed and I encourage you guys to do the same, the best railroad lawyers are in Houston, and Dallas Texas it's worth it. Speak to an attorney so you know your rights and options.
Just hide under a box car for 8 hours a day wraslin' them safety cotter keyz ;)
It's interesting that a couple of unions already have called out the UP's increased use of cameras as a way to further reduce headcount without announcing furloughs/layoffs. The part that pi---d me off the most is that the UP went downhill faster when Vena showed up, and Soroban had Fritz removed because they claimed service deteriorated after Vena left the first time. No I dont think so! The service went to he-l while Vena was there the first time hence the reason for the government hearings. Vena was also present when the UP got the title of worst employer in North America. Vena left the first time because he knew about the service issues and the governments desire to chat with the executives about the service issues. It was better for him to leave the company quickly, then to stick around and possibly get pulled into a hearing that he was the direct cause of. The OP is 100% correct. The cameras are going to force more people to leave. No one is going to work for the UP anymore or at all, if the UP can't show some level of trust in it's own employees. I just saw an article yesterday about the 250 best managed companies in America. NOT A SINGLE CLASS 1 MADE THAT LIST! Well sh-t, I can't imagine why! The UP didn't even come close to the last place spot!
Absolutely well stated and noted. Its a shame that you can't just do your job, and eventually retire, not by a long shot. The best to you and go enjoy your life. Don't even look back.
I'm sure some manager trying to get brownie points said,( HEY we need more cameras to supervise, this way everyone will be safe) Now those managers can sit and watch and be more like a mall security officer and be extra lazy....
💯% correct.