New BNSF union scale?

I live in the chicago area and a friend of mine just got hired as a conductor trainee. He was telling me that bnsf just changed the pay scale after you graduate. I'm told it is at 75% of scale, and goes up 5% per year. I am also told that approx. $180.00 a shift is full scale. That means I would only make $135.00 per shift my first year if I were hired. Can someone please go into detail about this and tell me How it works. My buddy said he missed the deadline by 5 days. Otherwise he would have started at 100%. Is this how it works? Thanks for your feedback.

Doesn't anyone here know what I'm talking about?

Today most railroads start newbee's at 75% of full rate. with each year your rate going 5% till after 5 years your finaly at 100% pay. this is not just a BNSF thing but lots of Railroads do this.

I began training and the local union president told us that as of July 1, 2004, the "new" pay scale was in effect and everyone who started after that date would be earning the wages you described.

Your union scale will also depend on what former agreements were in place. You said that you are starting with BNSF in Chicago. You will either be under ATSF or CB&Q agreements. All of the BNSF componant roads have their own agreements and pay scale.

I have found that the hardest thing about learning this job has not been the actual work but the employment end of the job. (Example: how to use the different boards, special claims, bumping and such.) Also with so many different agreements in place, that just ads to the mix.

I'm just mushroom as far as the rr is concerned.

Can you elaborate a little on that engineer spike? Thanks

Bearfandan:

Be advised that BNSF is holding a career fair in two weeks. Info is available at:

http://www.bnsf.com/jobs/html/chicagojobfair.html

Go figure, I'll be in Michigan on a golf weekend. DAMN!!!!

I was talking about the union agreements in place in the area where one works. I hired out in Aurora, IL for BNSF. That line was the CB&Q before BN. Our contract read :This is the contract entered into between the Chicago Burlington and Quincy Railroad and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. Some of the agreements date back 60 or more years.
Each of the roads that merged into BNSF has its own pay scales. In some places one can bump from one road to another (I got cut off on the old CB&Q, and was able to bump onto a job on the former Santa Fe) My pay rates changed when I did that. Some places are closed to people who did not hire out there, except if that person wants to start over at the bottom of the senority list.

That 75% does not include your arbitraries such as mileage, there is alot more involved in your pay than your hours. If you become a brakeman make sure you have someone help you fill out your timeslip or you will lose a ton of money when you begin.