I have to say, I am disappointed but not surprised they are taking away the ability to work from home. UP is all about work life balance aren't they. The funny thing is I could so easily put in an extra four hours a day working from home. I take calls at night and on the weekends. Getting people what they need to keep the trains running. I am college educated and have children and own a home but I cannot be trusted to work from home. I'm also a woman so no way that is going to happen. I have to have a VP making hundreds of thousands of dollars a year come to my desk daily to see if I am working like some kind stalker. Ok then, you want us to just work at the office. When I leave for the day my phone is off. You need something on the weekend, which you will because you have for 20+ years, you need to figure it out. I'm at home. I can't work at home. Look, I was more than willing to put in over time to work and bust my a-s to make our department successful. Signing in early in the morning and off late at night. Logging in on weekends and being available 24/7 because I am committed and love my job. But, I guess certain people who are near retirement age and can barely understand how to use a computer are now demanding that we go into the office and physically be present for their constant meetings and "think" tanks. You know the people in your department who are always in meetings and do not do a damn thing. They can't even schedule meetings for themselves, they have to have people do it for them. This policy is s-xist because this benefitted the working mothers at UP. Oh and I love how they waited until after school started so many parents are now going to have to pay thousands in extra daycare and transportation costs, scramble and try and get arrangement for their kids. If you need me to be in the office to know that I am working than you do not understand my job or probably even yours. It is 2023 and there are a lot of companies that allow work from home. Good luck on your new policy.
13 replies (most recent on top)
"He’s sitting in the old cushioned 1930’s chair doing his best George Jefferson impression in his fancy suit. He gives the impression of a freshly coronated king and not a CEO!"
The real reason for the picture taken like this is because Vena doesn't want people to see he is a little man with a 27 inch inseam. Vena is Mr. Napoleon Complex
Sounds like it is time to start your own business then, so you can create your own think tank and make all the special rules just for you, because you “went to college” like the zillions of other people in America. And then YOU can be the BOSS who makes tons of money and can look over the shoulder of the people that you hire. Just be sure to keep being prejudiced against older people like you are now. Never mind that they got you to where you are right now, but simply came up in a different time in the railroad industry with different technology, and paid their dues just as much as you think you are now. Don’t forget to make fresh coffee for everybody as soon as you get to the office.
For years the agreement employees have been getting screwed. When I hired on it was 6-1/2hrs I got to drive home & sleep, then my phone rang and I had to be back at work in 90mins. Did this from the day they cut our training short, told us we knew enough, marked us up, and it didnt stop not for even one day from aug till the next year in april. 6-1/2hrs off that was it. If we tried to call in sick CMS would refuse to mark us off. So when the phone rang and we told em we called in earlier sick, we were threatened with being charged w/ a missed call. For you other UP employees that were never worked like that, did y’all ever think what it was like for us? Or did you categorized us as “non educated” (even though some of us do have degrees)? Its the old “first they came for this group, but I didnt say anything cuz it wasnt me, then they came for my neighbor, but I didnt say anything cuz it wasnt me, then they came for me and there was nobody left to help me”
you should form a union...
So come to work 3 days a week, then 4days per week and by the end of the year they’ll want you there 7 days a week
This should not be surprising from an aged Baby Boomer! I’ll you have to do is look at the photo of him on the home page. He’s sitting in the old cushioned 1930’s chair doing his best George Jefferson impression in his fancy
Suit. He gives the impression of a freshly coronated king and not a CEO! His speech at Lance Fritz’s retirement celebration could have been better spoken by a drunk two year old… If articulation of spoken language is an indication of intellectual ability well he won’t be around long…
Just go work somewhere else then if you are that valuable
Poor thing! I’m sorry you have to actually show up to work now..
You mean like the last time we had layoffs and they had to rehire for all those positions plus extra people because of the institutional knowledge lost? Do you know how much it costs to hire and train new employees. When they do layoffs they need to start at the top this time. Vena is really good at this. Sr staff needs to be worried. Especially those who have numerous lawsuits filed against the company because of their VPs. Not hard to figure out who needs to go. See ya. I won't shed a tear. They can lay me off. It won't make up for the horrible action of department heads. Get rid of me. You will still be horrible.
I believe this is a way to reduce headcount without having to lay people off. If you hired on after 2018 you aren’t eligible for the pension. What is holding you here, wfh, good culture or the great cafeteria food? People will leave. They won’t back fill and headcount will go down.
If they do reduce headcount it won’t be until end of October to align with new in office policy.
It won't last. If UP wants be number 1 they are going to have to compete with other companies offering better benefits to employees. If the employees are unhappy they will go somewhere else. They won't be able to compete and get good talent in. This will fail. Not very smart in management's part.
No one should do anything extra for this company. If you are off, you are off. Don't answer the phone, don't come in on your day off, follow all rules and policies to the letter, and most certainly keep good records of all conversations. If they want to run an institution rather than a workplace, then hold their butts to the fire.
Don't worry, whether its a needed job or not, Vena will eliminate your position anyway.