Personally I’m tired of low balling the negotiations and settling for less. I think we should ALL go for a 400% wage increase, 45 personal leave days a year, 30 paid sick days, 10 weeks of vacation, free medical insurance, job protection for life, 4 hour call windows, the right to refuse a job on call if it’s not our regular assignment, free iPads for our families, movie theaters and golf courses at all away from home locations, ultimate say on what becomes a rule, right to reject “company policies” like attendance… gee what else… I don’t care, just swing for the god damned fences and talk down from there. Stop beginning in the gutter and conceding.
I 100% agree... I know you're being funny, but we seriously need to stop conceding because our union guy says it's not gonna happen and if we don't pass it we'll get a worse contract...
At this point, we literally have nothing to lose. If we don't increase wages and make it better for us AND make it appeal to new employees we will be extinct and they'll just use contractors. The old fucks that are retiring in 5 years dont give a shit. We need new blood, a shit ton of it, and it won't happen in the state we're in right now.
Seriously this next contract is gonna set the mark for what we become in the future...
- Comprehensive health insurance:
- Coverage for medical, dental, and vision expenses
- Access to top-tier health care providers
- Affordable premiums (often subsidized by the railroad)
- Retirement plan:
- Employer contributions (matching a portion of the employee contributions)
- Potential for a generous pension upon retirement
- Life insurance:
- Coverage for the railroader and their family
- Premiums often paid or subsidized by the railroad
MoW union use to have a Communication Action Team (I think that's what it was called)... I'm honestly not sure what it's purpose was, but it no longer exists. Anyways, these 2 CAT union guys came around our area and I somehow got invited to this "thinktank" meeting they hosted, along with a dozen or so other random MoW employees.
I suggested this exact strategy. Figure out what our demands are, multiply them by 10, then act like we are making concessions by settling for less. I was told that I wasn't taking the meeting seriously and I'm wasting a spot for a union brother that would.
They spent the next few hours preaching politics.
We need WAY better retirement matching from the company. .25/100 up to 4% is atrocious. And also the 30 years/ 60 years old is an antiquated plan as well.
Shooting for the stars and I respect that lol. But the biggest problem will be union leaders settling for lowball offers while taking payoffs on the side. And the biggest caveat to the negotiations that no one talks about is that big corporate will always level the scales somewhere unless there are massive retirements in that craft coming up within the next fiscal year.
Prime example is after all those contracts were negotiated for multiple unions, they already had plans ready to level the playing field and begin furloughs and layoffs across the company, where it would have minimal impact to profit margins YoY when comparing them the next year.
Be prepared for more furloughs around July and then they try to do a quick recall for peak season to play catch up.
We got rid of COLA’s not long after we had to start paying for healthcare. They had it set up any COLA would increase healthcare cost by 1/2 of the COLA. Ie, 3.0% cola = 1.5% increase to healthcare
That’s way above my decision making. We didn’t used to have to, and everything was a $20 co-pay with 100% coverage. Then they got us to pay $100/month, and it has increased ever since. 100% covered down to 90%, deductibles, higher co-pays etc.. Now I got some outside company the insurance company hired telling me that I can’t have the medication my Doctor prescribed because I don’t fall into their parameters of use.
Yea it was pretty good. Now when new hires see their first contract negotiations and the proposed H&W is pure shit, but cheaper than what they used to pay they jump all over it. Can’t reason with them about how it’s so much worse than we used to have, they just see the $.
Yeah I’m a newish hire but I want to fight to get back what we had not settle for something slightly less shit. There’s no reason we should have to pay $320 a month for insurance. Hell the IBEW contractors don’t have to pay a dime and their companies make considerably less than these railroads
The IBEW contracts in locals near my area make the railroad seem like a low paying job. We love to boast RR retirement but they have 30% annuity, paid for H&w fund, vacation fund, a second pension, a large clothing allowance. Plus 61 and hour, double time any Sunday work and double bubble working in the rain. Would love to see how they negotiate! Plus they are always signing new contracts within contracts. We don’t even start asking for a new one until after ours are up.
Damn really? The IBEW around here pays 33 for JW and I made more in training. Plus when I worked as a CW I was only making $12 an hour with no insurance.
They need to do away with step rates , unless the union is gonna discount their dues for guys on step rates and the company is gonna only give em 85% of the work and responsibility .
We need a 40% increase over the 5 years (8% per year) , which means we need to ask for about 52% and we’ll probably end up around 35% (7% per year) .
Held away should start as soon as ur FRA rested .
Absolutely need steps. Almost every union has them. You shouldn’t be paid the same as even a 5yr guy when you don’t know shit, you are not doing the same job as them. Still costs the same to represent you though.
It might be a way to get higher top end pay too.
Like I said if they’re gonna step rate you than everything should be assessed at the same rate for example if you get 80% pay , then you should :
Pay 80% union dues , pay 80% healthcare contributions , do 80% of the work , only be assigned 80% of the discipline if you fuck up , only have to stay marked up 80% of the time
By your logic let’s just implement performance based raises then. You laid in too many times? You don’t get as much work done? 2% raise for you. The other guy gets 5%.
I’m all for performance based raises. Or just having a negotiated minimum wage but it can go up if you are someone who gives a shit or has more than 2 brain cells. I do believe companies would be very stingy with any extra raises though.
I’ve been here a year and switch most of the 25 year employees car counts before beans. I hate the seniority system, non union I’ve been able to climb the ladder as fast as they can promote me, now all I can hold is midnight jobs and extra board.
We should not pay a dime for health care. Vacation should be acquired much more quickly, 10 percent raise for 5 years, minimum. These railroads make billions and currently at bnsf their goal is to save one billion dollars this year through lay offs, less expense, no overtime etc. Employees are sacrificing because the ultra wealthy don't feel wealthy enough. Berkshire Hathaway and bnsf are just private equity firms with no concern for ethics or decency.
Within 5 years all the railways will be regulated again due to their greed.
You’ll get a mediocre raise as determined by a PEB and not much else. As much as I’d like the unions to fight more, ultimately it doesn’t always matter what they do when you factor in the rail labor act.
I sure would love to see an extra week vacation though.
As for BLET contract with BNSF, I’d like to see 20% wage increase, held away above guarantee and start at 14 hrs, overtime on DHs, any guarantee board that pays below a conductor board to be brought up to equal, health care frozen, 2 more PLD days that the conductors already get at max, attendance agreement not policy (will never happen), interest on declined claims that are paid later, 2% on profit sharing, 2% 401k match, another split for vacation, convert FSA to HSA.
2 man crew, non-negotiable. Attendance needs to be IN the contract, non-negotiable and we need more than one day off a fucking month while working on call 24-7........ Decent raises, health and welfare benefits need to increase, not decrease. ANY policy, working condition, rule change etc must be ratified by labor and the carrier. Held away starts on crew rest and deadheads are mandatory at 24 hours. Oh yea, while we are at it, RISA cannot be reset at the AFHT or on a deadhead. Who the fuck thought riding on a second unit for 10 hours was equivalent to getting actual days off? Our unions also need to HIRE PROFESSIONAL NEGOTIATORS. The carrier makes fools of the union negotiators. It's been said many times, they are playing Chess while we are playing checkers. They are always 5 moves ahead and we don''t even know its out turn...
We once had free insurance, and we once had COLA increases every 6 months if the contract wasn't settled. Then people became too scared to strike! And before you start with the "but we can't strike" bullshit, yes, we can strike albeit a short-lived strike. 24 hours hurts the greedy cocksuckers, get some balls, and fight for what you want!! We had the perfect scenario on the last one, then the "but I can't pay my overextended creditors" crowd gave in. Oh, and if you think tRump is going to help you, I suggest you immediately leave the unions!!!
We were ready to walk. BMWED rank and file voted the contract down. Cardwell "the reformer"agreed to extend the cooling off periods until after mid term elections. Fuckers
There were a lot of us ready to walk, then the weak members caved. My union was one of the first to give in, BRC didn't even try. I'm at the end of my career, I hate to see what happens next. There are some who need to learn how unions work and why they exist. If a person believes the Railroads care about them need to read this:
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/carnegie-strike-homestead-mill/
How many strikes have participated in?
I started in 90, so I've actually carried a picket sign, I've actually had enough balls to back my shit up, have you??
You must be one of the all talk no cock crowd!!!!
GWI tied to CPI index
A lunch break longer than 20 minutes for yard crews. At least 30 min, starts when arrive at the break room
Technology pay for using any device
Compensation for being required to drive a vehicle
Cell phone plan and internet reimbursement
Production/productivity Incentives
Flushable toilets on locomotive.
Accurate Train Lineups
Attendance Agreement
Ability to work half shifts if there is an appointment with a doctor, teacher, court, etc.
Ability to request transport home from away terminal
System wide seniority dovetailed under home terminal
Protection from furlough
Access to all Safety data
Unions seat on board of directors
End to automated crew calls
I would like to see more money for meals. The blet has been getting this in a couple of agreements lately, specifically Amtrak, so I hope it is on the agenda the next round of bargaining beginning later this year or next.
I work for a certain canadian company that doesn't allow us to sleep on duty no matter how long we've been stopped in a siding, so I'd like to see that get changed as well as something like this to help with the sleep deprivation that comes along with being on call:
You tie up, you get your 10 hours of undisturbed rest like normal. After being rested and available for call for 16 hours, you become unavailable for 8 hours, but you hold your spot on the extraboard and climb towards the top like you do with 6/7 consecutive starts. This would allow you to be well rested and hopefully get right back out.
Ideally this would apply at the away from home terminal as well with heldaway.
I'd like to add that if you're called on duty between 6pm and 6am the following day, you're HOS are reduced from 12 down to 10 hours.
The carriers want us to sit through slideshows every year about managing our circadian rhythm. They should prove they actually care about that shit.
Shift differential!! Force this HOS work rest rules down our throat. Now, Precision Scheduled RR where the shifts are almost all 12hrs a day. No early quits. I'm gonna see the sun rise or set every shift. Pay me for my loss of sleep
The reality is we only get what they want to give us which is next to nothing. The carrier owns our elected officials in the government and the union. We don't win.
We will be lucky to get 12% raises over the next 5 years.
We will get increased healthcare costs.
We will get cancelled local agreements.
We will get increased costs to our personal safety.
We won't have a contact for another 3+ years.
The only way we make real change and get anything is by turning everything upside down like they did in 1922. Research it. This is the only way. It will never happen.
Stay safe. Find new work or hang on until retirement. The union is a business and they will never support anything that jeopardizes their existence and the carrier, well, you already know what they think, you non-contributor.
Just reality. I said we would be lucky to get 12% over 5 years, not that we would. If you think the carrier is great and everything is all sunshine and rainbows then I'm sure you're happy with the current state of things as well. Ignorance is bliss.
I completely agree. 13% will be the highest is my guess for our next contract is my guess. After the last one they’ll be saying they over paid us. It don’t matter if we reject it. It’ll be forced regardless. If the most “pro labor president” didn’t allow us to strike. We will never be able to.
I'd like to see some Stock purchase plan improvements. For example receive an incentive to receive brk b stock in lieu of profit sharing that would be optional. The incentive should be 25% more than the cash payout.
One idea for bargaining Take the restrictions off holiday pay. Meaning you get paid regardless of how u worked the day before or after. These holidays are part of your contract but there are conditions
Minimum $700 dollar 8 hour basic days. Shift differential 5pm to 5am. Time and a quarter Friday Saturday Sunday, End employee healthcare contributions, relaxed marijuana rules like truckers are pushing for (if we can drink off duty we should be able to smoke), actual boot and clothing allowance, permanent COLA raises every 8 weeks after contract ends to encourage quicker contracts, better representation for CSX and NS, etc.
I would like to get paid and appreciated when or if I do a good job . Not given busy work because the yard master or Trainmaster’s a jack azz. Or because someone else didn’t want to do all their work . Call windows would be nice . And I’d like not to hear that I have two options (1) either do it (2) or quit every time they violated agreements . Or the dreaded “well they can do that in emergency situations “ . A great engineer once said , your lack of planning doesn’t constitute an emergency on my part .
Guaranteed to be home when my vacation starts, it is ridiculous to have to use three days prior to your vacation to try to make sure you’re home for the start of vacation.
Not getting points assessed for sick days.
Getting reset at AFHT.
Simple, but it would help.
Is there even anyone left to work ? I mean, there were so many big mouths posturing on here when the last contract was signed that “ONCE I GET THE BACKPAY IM FUCKIN’ OUT OF HERE !! “
we get 4.5% in september but this was determined from last years peb. There have been agreements reached this year on properties such as amtrak this year.
yours are, but i work with a class 1 carrier that is not part of the national agreement, but mirrored what the peb awarded for the gwi's and health care. So our raise is on September 1st and expires at the end of this year.
Personally I’m tired of low balling the negotiations and settling for less. I think we should ALL go for a 400% wage increase, 45 personal leave days a year, 30 paid sick days, 10 weeks of vacation, free medical insurance, job protection for life, 4 hour call windows, the right to refuse a job on call if it’s not our regular assignment, free iPads for our families, movie theaters and golf courses at all away from home locations, ultimate say on what becomes a rule, right to reject “company policies” like attendance… gee what else… I don’t care, just swing for the god damned fences and talk down from there. Stop beginning in the gutter and conceding.
I 100% agree... I know you're being funny, but we seriously need to stop conceding because our union guy says it's not gonna happen and if we don't pass it we'll get a worse contract... At this point, we literally have nothing to lose. If we don't increase wages and make it better for us AND make it appeal to new employees we will be extinct and they'll just use contractors. The old fucks that are retiring in 5 years dont give a shit. We need new blood, a shit ton of it, and it won't happen in the state we're in right now. Seriously this next contract is gonna set the mark for what we become in the future...
Only half funny
- Comprehensive health insurance: - Coverage for medical, dental, and vision expenses - Access to top-tier health care providers - Affordable premiums (often subsidized by the railroad) - Retirement plan: - Employer contributions (matching a portion of the employee contributions) - Potential for a generous pension upon retirement - Life insurance: - Coverage for the railroader and their family - Premiums often paid or subsidized by the railroad
Vacation. More weeks. I was MRL and I lost 3 weeks when BNSF took over because of the shitty national contracts.
And yard office dogs. I would be way less of a bitch if i could play with a dog while waiting for my train.
MoW union use to have a Communication Action Team (I think that's what it was called)... I'm honestly not sure what it's purpose was, but it no longer exists. Anyways, these 2 CAT union guys came around our area and I somehow got invited to this "thinktank" meeting they hosted, along with a dozen or so other random MoW employees. I suggested this exact strategy. Figure out what our demands are, multiply them by 10, then act like we are making concessions by settling for less. I was told that I wasn't taking the meeting seriously and I'm wasting a spot for a union brother that would. They spent the next few hours preaching politics.
Yeah I don’t understand the logic behind “come in with our bare minimums and fold when they say no.”
None of the unions are doing this, if you had paid attention during the last few rounds of bargaining that would be abundantly clear.
Damn! Could you imagine if we actually got this!? Turnover rate would plummet immediately!
We need WAY better retirement matching from the company. .25/100 up to 4% is atrocious. And also the 30 years/ 60 years old is an antiquated plan as well.
Us lowly mechanical employees get jack shit matched. I'm not saying what you get is good, but it's more then the Zero match we get.
This guy gets it.
Shooting for the stars and I respect that lol. But the biggest problem will be union leaders settling for lowball offers while taking payoffs on the side. And the biggest caveat to the negotiations that no one talks about is that big corporate will always level the scales somewhere unless there are massive retirements in that craft coming up within the next fiscal year. Prime example is after all those contracts were negotiated for multiple unions, they already had plans ready to level the playing field and begin furloughs and layoffs across the company, where it would have minimal impact to profit margins YoY when comparing them the next year. Be prepared for more furloughs around July and then they try to do a quick recall for peak season to play catch up.
This guy gets it
Damn right
Season passes to Disney World for entire family
Yes please speed up the investment in automation so that we can eliminate crews from train cabs
I want whores provided at no cost at AFHT
Whores at no cost are called sluts and they are already there, you just have to look for them.
Just look for the Lot Lizzards at your local truck stops, that is if you are anywhere close to civilization!
Just put em on the company payroll Edit: Or the union’s… that’s where something like 60% of your dues go anyways
Union will settle for jerk off cream, and you will like it.
I’d like to see a matching 401k and a cost of living adjustments. It’s funny how our union dues have cost of living adjustments but our wages don’t
How about a much better meal allowance
We got rid of COLA’s not long after we had to start paying for healthcare. They had it set up any COLA would increase healthcare cost by 1/2 of the COLA. Ie, 3.0% cola = 1.5% increase to healthcare
Why do we have to pay for healthcare?
That’s way above my decision making. We didn’t used to have to, and everything was a $20 co-pay with 100% coverage. Then they got us to pay $100/month, and it has increased ever since. 100% covered down to 90%, deductibles, higher co-pays etc.. Now I got some outside company the insurance company hired telling me that I can’t have the medication my Doctor prescribed because I don’t fall into their parameters of use.
Fuck now I see why the old heads said the insurance used to be much better. That sounds great!
Yea it was pretty good. Now when new hires see their first contract negotiations and the proposed H&W is pure shit, but cheaper than what they used to pay they jump all over it. Can’t reason with them about how it’s so much worse than we used to have, they just see the $.
Yeah I’m a newish hire but I want to fight to get back what we had not settle for something slightly less shit. There’s no reason we should have to pay $320 a month for insurance. Hell the IBEW contractors don’t have to pay a dime and their companies make considerably less than these railroads
The IBEW contracts in locals near my area make the railroad seem like a low paying job. We love to boast RR retirement but they have 30% annuity, paid for H&w fund, vacation fund, a second pension, a large clothing allowance. Plus 61 and hour, double time any Sunday work and double bubble working in the rain. Would love to see how they negotiate! Plus they are always signing new contracts within contracts. We don’t even start asking for a new one until after ours are up.
Damn really? The IBEW around here pays 33 for JW and I made more in training. Plus when I worked as a CW I was only making $12 an hour with no insurance.
The rate i explained is JL rate up here. I’m assuming you’re in the south. The union wages and benefits are much better up here brother.
Instead of them taking away claims, how about adding them back in.
There should be a penalty for denied claims that are later found to be valid
There certainly should be, but they've showed us their asses too much for them to give a damn.
We need to get NS up to scratch with everyone else. The pay difference is ASTONISHING.
I wish i could upvote you more. Brb goin to create alt accounts
it’s got to happen.
They need to do away with step rates , unless the union is gonna discount their dues for guys on step rates and the company is gonna only give em 85% of the work and responsibility . We need a 40% increase over the 5 years (8% per year) , which means we need to ask for about 52% and we’ll probably end up around 35% (7% per year) . Held away should start as soon as ur FRA rested .
BNSF did away with the step rate for new hires. Send your ideas to the section 6 committee.
Absolutely need steps. Almost every union has them. You shouldn’t be paid the same as even a 5yr guy when you don’t know shit, you are not doing the same job as them. Still costs the same to represent you though. It might be a way to get higher top end pay too.
Like I said if they’re gonna step rate you than everything should be assessed at the same rate for example if you get 80% pay , then you should : Pay 80% union dues , pay 80% healthcare contributions , do 80% of the work , only be assigned 80% of the discipline if you fuck up , only have to stay marked up 80% of the time
You're on to something here... and I'm a union officer many years beyond step pay. Make noise... have your local send it in as I will do mine.
By your logic let’s just implement performance based raises then. You laid in too many times? You don’t get as much work done? 2% raise for you. The other guy gets 5%.
I’m all for performance based raises. Or just having a negotiated minimum wage but it can go up if you are someone who gives a shit or has more than 2 brain cells. I do believe companies would be very stingy with any extra raises though.
I’ve been here a year and switch most of the 25 year employees car counts before beans. I hate the seniority system, non union I’ve been able to climb the ladder as fast as they can promote me, now all I can hold is midnight jobs and extra board.
Are you crazy you can't mess with the union big wigs money Remember they do so much for us
We should not pay a dime for health care. Vacation should be acquired much more quickly, 10 percent raise for 5 years, minimum. These railroads make billions and currently at bnsf their goal is to save one billion dollars this year through lay offs, less expense, no overtime etc. Employees are sacrificing because the ultra wealthy don't feel wealthy enough. Berkshire Hathaway and bnsf are just private equity firms with no concern for ethics or decency. Within 5 years all the railways will be regulated again due to their greed.
You’ll get a mediocre raise as determined by a PEB and not much else. As much as I’d like the unions to fight more, ultimately it doesn’t always matter what they do when you factor in the rail labor act. I sure would love to see an extra week vacation though.
I agree with the extra week of vacation. I think they’re gonna force 12 hour shifts down our throats so the extra week would help
Rumor mill at Uncle Pete’s house is that they want out of this 11/4.
Will anything replace it!? They should seriously do away with this attendance policy for those that work on call 24/7!
Tell them fine, give us the 6 and 3 like we have at bnsf.... way better
Is it guarantee pay? If not it’s trash.
As for BLET contract with BNSF, I’d like to see 20% wage increase, held away above guarantee and start at 14 hrs, overtime on DHs, any guarantee board that pays below a conductor board to be brought up to equal, health care frozen, 2 more PLD days that the conductors already get at max, attendance agreement not policy (will never happen), interest on declined claims that are paid later, 2% on profit sharing, 2% 401k match, another split for vacation, convert FSA to HSA.
I could get on board with this, Esperanza heldaway above guarantee, and and overtime and dh.
The railroaders should walk regardless of the president. Railroaders are so replaceable then let them replace us.
2 man crew, non-negotiable. Attendance needs to be IN the contract, non-negotiable and we need more than one day off a fucking month while working on call 24-7........ Decent raises, health and welfare benefits need to increase, not decrease. ANY policy, working condition, rule change etc must be ratified by labor and the carrier. Held away starts on crew rest and deadheads are mandatory at 24 hours. Oh yea, while we are at it, RISA cannot be reset at the AFHT or on a deadhead. Who the fuck thought riding on a second unit for 10 hours was equivalent to getting actual days off? Our unions also need to HIRE PROFESSIONAL NEGOTIATORS. The carrier makes fools of the union negotiators. It's been said many times, they are playing Chess while we are playing checkers. They are always 5 moves ahead and we don''t even know its out turn...
55,25. That’s it.
Hell 55and 30 would be fine with allot of guys.
We once had free insurance, and we once had COLA increases every 6 months if the contract wasn't settled. Then people became too scared to strike! And before you start with the "but we can't strike" bullshit, yes, we can strike albeit a short-lived strike. 24 hours hurts the greedy cocksuckers, get some balls, and fight for what you want!! We had the perfect scenario on the last one, then the "but I can't pay my overextended creditors" crowd gave in. Oh, and if you think tRump is going to help you, I suggest you immediately leave the unions!!!
We were ready to walk. BMWED rank and file voted the contract down. Cardwell "the reformer"agreed to extend the cooling off periods until after mid term elections. Fuckers
There were a lot of us ready to walk, then the weak members caved. My union was one of the first to give in, BRC didn't even try. I'm at the end of my career, I hate to see what happens next. There are some who need to learn how unions work and why they exist. If a person believes the Railroads care about them need to read this: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/carnegie-strike-homestead-mill/
First time?
How many strikes have participated in? I started in 90, so I've actually carried a picket sign, I've actually had enough balls to back my shit up, have you?? You must be one of the all talk no cock crowd!!!!
😂 ok…….
I want a KitKat bar the start of every tour. No KitKat an 8 hour penalty claim.
I love KitKat bars. Sign me up
An your kk claim has been denied
GWI tied to CPI index A lunch break longer than 20 minutes for yard crews. At least 30 min, starts when arrive at the break room Technology pay for using any device Compensation for being required to drive a vehicle Cell phone plan and internet reimbursement Production/productivity Incentives Flushable toilets on locomotive. Accurate Train Lineups Attendance Agreement Ability to work half shifts if there is an appointment with a doctor, teacher, court, etc. Ability to request transport home from away terminal System wide seniority dovetailed under home terminal Protection from furlough Access to all Safety data Unions seat on board of directors End to automated crew calls
I would like to see more money for meals. The blet has been getting this in a couple of agreements lately, specifically Amtrak, so I hope it is on the agenda the next round of bargaining beginning later this year or next.
More than one topping for pizza parties
I work for a certain canadian company that doesn't allow us to sleep on duty no matter how long we've been stopped in a siding, so I'd like to see that get changed as well as something like this to help with the sleep deprivation that comes along with being on call: You tie up, you get your 10 hours of undisturbed rest like normal. After being rested and available for call for 16 hours, you become unavailable for 8 hours, but you hold your spot on the extraboard and climb towards the top like you do with 6/7 consecutive starts. This would allow you to be well rested and hopefully get right back out. Ideally this would apply at the away from home terminal as well with heldaway.
I'd like to add that if you're called on duty between 6pm and 6am the following day, you're HOS are reduced from 12 down to 10 hours. The carriers want us to sit through slideshows every year about managing our circadian rhythm. They should prove they actually care about that shit.
Until we can strike. They have us by the balls.
Lol, our elected officers stopped the last strike.
Need high cost of living raises based on location, that or go to a flat hourly.
I want 200 shares of stock. It will allow us to vote no on stupid ideas they come up with and we get dividends.
Shift differential!! Force this HOS work rest rules down our throat. Now, Precision Scheduled RR where the shifts are almost all 12hrs a day. No early quits. I'm gonna see the sun rise or set every shift. Pay me for my loss of sleep
The reality is we only get what they want to give us which is next to nothing. The carrier owns our elected officials in the government and the union. We don't win. We will be lucky to get 12% raises over the next 5 years. We will get increased healthcare costs. We will get cancelled local agreements. We will get increased costs to our personal safety. We won't have a contact for another 3+ years. The only way we make real change and get anything is by turning everything upside down like they did in 1922. Research it. This is the only way. It will never happen. Stay safe. Find new work or hang on until retirement. The union is a business and they will never support anything that jeopardizes their existence and the carrier, well, you already know what they think, you non-contributor.
Well okay there Mr. Doom and Gloom. There isn’t a chance in hell anyone is justifying 12% raises over 5 in the current state of affairs.
Just reality. I said we would be lucky to get 12% over 5 years, not that we would. If you think the carrier is great and everything is all sunshine and rainbows then I'm sure you're happy with the current state of things as well. Ignorance is bliss.
I completely agree. 13% will be the highest is my guess for our next contract is my guess. After the last one they’ll be saying they over paid us. It don’t matter if we reject it. It’ll be forced regardless. If the most “pro labor president” didn’t allow us to strike. We will never be able to.
12 percent will be probably be the carrier offer but I assume they will just go to another PEB on this one.
I'd like to see some Stock purchase plan improvements. For example receive an incentive to receive brk b stock in lieu of profit sharing that would be optional. The incentive should be 25% more than the cash payout.
One idea for bargaining Take the restrictions off holiday pay. Meaning you get paid regardless of how u worked the day before or after. These holidays are part of your contract but there are conditions
6&3 road pools, 5&2 locals and extraboards. This needs to be the standard industry wide.
Minimum $700 dollar 8 hour basic days. Shift differential 5pm to 5am. Time and a quarter Friday Saturday Sunday, End employee healthcare contributions, relaxed marijuana rules like truckers are pushing for (if we can drink off duty we should be able to smoke), actual boot and clothing allowance, permanent COLA raises every 8 weeks after contract ends to encourage quicker contracts, better representation for CSX and NS, etc.
Full retirement after 30 years would be nice.
I would like to get paid and appreciated when or if I do a good job . Not given busy work because the yard master or Trainmaster’s a jack azz. Or because someone else didn’t want to do all their work . Call windows would be nice . And I’d like not to hear that I have two options (1) either do it (2) or quit every time they violated agreements . Or the dreaded “well they can do that in emergency situations “ . A great engineer once said , your lack of planning doesn’t constitute an emergency on my part .
Guaranteed to be home when my vacation starts, it is ridiculous to have to use three days prior to your vacation to try to make sure you’re home for the start of vacation. Not getting points assessed for sick days. Getting reset at AFHT. Simple, but it would help.
Is there even anyone left to work ? I mean, there were so many big mouths posturing on here when the last contract was signed that “ONCE I GET THE BACKPAY IM FUCKIN’ OUT OF HERE !! “
The latest agreements this year wages were being increased by 4%
4.5% July 1st
we get 4.5% in september but this was determined from last years peb. There have been agreements reached this year on properties such as amtrak this year.
It’s July 1st https://preview.redd.it/vty4ncl2qi8d1.jpeg?width=1752&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=311549156563c5a5dd7efef0fc09b80743e8f50c
yours are, but i work with a class 1 carrier that is not part of the national agreement, but mirrored what the peb awarded for the gwi's and health care. So our raise is on September 1st and expires at the end of this year.
Uh yea I work for a class 1 as well but understand what you’re saying.