Furloughs?

ok guys, so when are we going to hear more? March? April? Next week? Some of us have mortgages and other people rely on our salaries. Who is being held accountable for the overhiring of Engineer Trainees? This is disgraceful especially to the newer classes that have come out. All any of us want is to work and go home to our families, why didn't anyone see the shortfall of funds?

Expect to hear something within days. The current mandate requires all agencies to cut 15% of their payroll. Not necessarily 15% of the workforce, but the dollar amount of payroll. Non-represented will be offered severance should they resign and represented will be cut in accordance with union contracts.

Now the work is to figure out how many should be cut to meet the mandates.

As a Conductor, I am fully qualified on the rules and Characteristics of the Railroad.
I am responsible for the Train and its crews, all employees on the train are subject to the Conductors instructions.
I also arrange for the train to enter the main, copy/execute paperwork.
I am also trained to troubleshoot the equipment to help move a disabled train.
I am also trained in CPR and first aid.
A Conductor is NOT just a ticket taker, he is in Charge of the train.
I assist in the movement of Trains, back up trains on main track and yards, and sometimes have to be on the head end of disabled equipment while the engineer operates from another cab.
I really think the Ticket taker remark was uncalled for.
I and other Conductors took our job seriously, and were professionals.

I read this post and had to laugh. Sir, you only in charge of anything because we allow it to be so. We can change that anytime we want and then as a craft you'd have nothing to beat your chest about. Other than fare collection, there is nothing you described that you alone can do. This is why Engineers have a much more lucrative contract. As far as responsibility, I too believed as you that you were responsible for the entire crew and after consulting Trials and Labor relations, this just isn't so. The employee on the train held to a higher standard for discipline, rule and instruction compliance is the Engineer not the Conductor. They run the trains and we have no choice but to expect more out of them because infractions on their part can result in serious consequences. I am sure you'll attack me, but who cares.

complete the engineers' training program, get on the engineers' roster while continuing to retain seniority in his original craft by paying dues to that union. If laid off, he could bump a position in his old craft and revert to his old job by displacing a junior man. As he has already been promoted to engineer and has a position on the engineers' roster he could revert back ahead of any new hires down the road.
Again brother railroaders, don't be misled by this incorrect information! Find out when the waiver must be signed relinquishing your seniority and right to return to your previous position. WE ALL NEED TO PROTECT OUR EMPLOYMENT

condr78 wrote:complete the engineers' training program, get on the engineers' roster while continuing to retain seniority in his original craft by paying dues to that union. If laid off, he could bump a position in his old craft and revert to his old job by displacing a junior man. As he has already been promoted to engineer and has a position on the engineers' roster he could revert back ahead of any new hires down the road.
Again brother railroaders, don't be misled by this incorrect information! Find out when the waiver must be signed relinquishing your seniority and right to return to your previous position. WE ALL NEED TO PROTECT OUR EMPLOYMENT

i thought you were retired?

OOOKKK. don't know what that was about above?, but anyway. Thanks for the clarity everyone, you too Datenail, and I only asked about the Brakeman requirement on trains out of curiosity since I have been on other commuter RRs that operate with an Engineer and Conductor but no Brakeman. But on Amtrak, NJ Transit, MNR and us, we have them, so I was wondering if it was a requirement by the FRA in terms of number of passengers transported or some federal law in place that needed to be followed. I did not see the letter from Ms. Williams but I heard about it, and as rumors always float around, a few people mentioned a 15% reduction in employees?? Not sure though because I haven't seen the letter. And all the papers seem to be fixed on Subway Token Booth reductions and not specific with anything else, so we obviously still don't know squat as far as what they will really do.

LIRR CHICKADEE: Honestly, shouldn't we be a little more pissed off that our Unions haven't said much yet?? The UTU rally a few weeks ago doesn't really tell me much, and honestly, many at work are very upset about this because so far, all the info we got is from here, and from the Newspapers, TV, and our most reliable, the rumor mill. So yeah, we have a mortgage to pay, mouths to fill, bills to pay, but who cares, right? A lot more clarity is needed here, and obviously, it is NOT a rumor anymore! It is real, and I still haven't heard from my representatives. The article read that a Union representative has not been notified of any layoffs.... MY A*S!!

Is the railroad ready for the obvious hit in OTP if these cuts go in affect. I foresee an uptick in mechanical issues on the trains and row. Crews might have a loss of hearing when the station manager calls. I'm sure there are other things that can affect operations I'm not even thinking of.

There is no cohesiveness and consistency amongst the ranks of all crafts to pull something off like that anymore. And what difference would it make?: The carrier would run to court with an injunction to "cease and desist" for any perception of a slowdown.

And what of those folks in Human Resources who over hired for the Engineer's roster? Nothing will happen to them as they weren't the ones responsible. On the third floor, there were managers very upset and twisted that Engineers were making enormous salaries. The solution? Overhire! We'll flood the list and get those salaries down!

Of course, there were other managers who didn't make the "right decision":

The Austrian high speed switches at Queens which had to be ripped out and replaced due to malfeasance with the head of Engineering at the time. Or, attempting to imprint twenty first century technology on early twentieth century interlockings. It worked once, but didn't work everywhere, until millions more were pumped into the project to find a "solution".

Who can forget replacing the concrete ties which literally fell apart between Harold and Jay after installation with new ones. And they were to last fifty years. Who was responsible for quality control there (we'll cut down on tons of track workers by putting these in!)?

How about the "Platform to Nowhere" in Greenlawn as Tool has mentioned regarding Capital Projects.

There are many more examples of these management errors which cost the Federal and State Governments tens of millions of dollars. At the end of the day, they will take a buyout, retire normally, or perhaps attend a roundtable discussion to make themselves feel good about their actions.

The point is: No consequences for these people. Low hanging fruit such as represented employees will always bear the brunt of management errors. And it will not change anytime soon.

As announced in most newspapers, the unions were informed of the number of layoffs on January 12.

They have begun notifying employees on Monday of the numbers to be laid off in two phases. The first phase will be next month. There will be more than initially expected in train and engine service, with a combined total of 62 in the first phase and another 67 in the second. If funds are somewhere found, the decisions will be reversed.

Virtually all overtime will be stopped, with most daily vacant positions to remain unfilled.

A 15% savings must be made in management/clerical salaries and this will be done through layoffs and incentives to quit. A "buyout" will be offered management employees but details have not been released.

There will be no layoffs in M of E or Track for fear of productivity reprisals.

The Unions were instructed last week to notify the affected employees.

What happen to the 10% cut in pay for management?????????

2behind1 wrote:There is no cohesiveness and consistency amongst the ranks of all crafts to pull something off like that anymore. And what difference would it make?: The carrier would run to court with an injunction to "cease and desist" for any perception of a slowdown.

And what of those folks in Human Resources who over hired for the Engineer's roster? Nothing will happen to them as they weren't the ones responsible. On the third floor, there were managers very upset and twisted that Engineers were making enormous salaries. The solution? Overhire! We'll flood the list and get those salaries down!

Of course, there were other managers who didn't make the "right decision":

The Austrian high speed switches at Queens which had to be ripped out and replaced due to malfeasance with the head of Engineering at the time. Or, attempting to imprint twenty first century technology on early twentieth century interlockings. It worked once, but didn't work everywhere, until millions more were pumped into the project to find a "solution".

Who can forget replacing the concrete ties which literally fell apart between Harold and Jay after installation with new ones. And they were to last fifty years. Who was responsible for quality control there (we'll cut down on tons of track workers by putting these in!)?

How about the "Platform to Nowhere" in Greenlawn as Tool has mentioned regarding Capital Projects.

There are many more examples of these management errors which cost the Federal and State Governments tens of millions of dollars. At the end of the day, they will take a buyout, retire normally, or perhaps attend a roundtable discussion to make themselves feel good about their actions.

The point is: No consequences for these people. Low hanging fruit such as represented employees will always bear the brunt of management errors. And it will not change anytime soon.

You left out the part where they will be hired back full time as a double-dipping consultant on the next Project,while collecting their pensions.

Virtually all overtime will be stopped, with most daily vacant positions to remain unfilled.

Even though it doesn't look like it outside now warm weather is coming. The trains will be busier with baseball the circus, parades and so on. Portions of trains will go uncollected from beginning to end. The railroad is having problems returning oneways now just think after a busy KO train on the weekend when the Yankees are playing and the circus is in town on a train with one collector. I don't think trainmen are going to try any harder to help the cause.

Well, it looks like someone decided they wanted to ruin this thread, and they did... Funny thing was, they all registered from the same IP and used the same creative email system:

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

I think we're done here for a while.

-otto-

I received my notice today and I wanted to thank the Long Island Tool for the time he spent with me discussing my options and my rights. Seems like things are not going to be too bad for me. The Union and the railroad was less than straight wuth me. Its also sad that the administrator of RR.net keeps locking the messages about layoffs cuse theres nowhere else we can go for this information to help us and out families. Thanks again TOOL!!! Not everyone in hi places is evil!!!!

JohnHoward wrote:I received my notice today and I wanted to thank the Long Island Tool for the time he spent with me discussing my options and my rights. Seems like things are not going to be too bad for me. The Union and the railroad was less than straight wuth me. Its also sad that the administrator of RR.net keeps locking the messages about layoffs cuse theres nowhere else we can go for this information to help us and out families. Thanks again TOOL!!! Not everyone in hi places is evil!!!!

Did anybody from the union contact you about this?

You need to check with RR Retirement in Westbury about benefits. The key is to keep your RR Retirement going. Check to see who is hiring in the transportation RR field.

We were always told that a LIRR Engineer/Conductor would always be "gobbled up" by other agencies.

I wish you the best. This is not righteous what is going on.