UP hiring

I am currently working (or trying to work) on BNSF as a conductor. BNSF has system wide seniority and it is raising heck with trying to hold a job ANYWHERE!

There is a rumor going around BNSF that UP is hiring, paying bonuses for experienced help and, most important, that they do not have system seniority. (System seniority is seniority across the whole line. (Except the northern most tier of states.) You can be working in California and be bumped by someone from Illinois if they want to work out there for the winter. It does not matter if they have held there before or not, they just have seniority. I understand that seniority is everything, but this system wide seniority will destabalize the workforce to a point where you cannot count on being able to hold anywhere at anytime.

Can anyone tell me if what we are hearing is true and are the protecting new hire seniority. Seems like they would have a hard time getting that by the UTU.

Thanks in advance.

I just returned from a UP hiring session out West, with 15 years as a former trainman...mostly as a local and yard Conductor/Brakeman having both a good work and safety record as well, and for some reason they...being the UP didn't seem to reach out and welcome me or grab my experience, coming from a very Safety-minded RR, or offer me a bonus for my experience...or even a trainman position. I am actually looking into the BNSF, CN and CP Rail.

UP's seniority goes by service unit, not system wide. If someone wishes to transfer to another division, they have to find someone willing to "swap" with them, there is no system-wide bumping. The trick is to find a service unit that is really shorthanded right now and apply there. I posted on the jobs forum a message that was on the UP website about places where they really need help. I am just finishing up my remote training now and expect to be on the extra board next week. I should be through conductor class and marked up by Christmas, and hopefully in engineer class soon after that. Things are happening very quickly on the UP these days, it's a good time to get in. We have heard the rumors about UP paying BNSF engineers and conductors big bonuses to jump over. However, as FormerNS stated, in the hiring sessions everyone gets an equal opportunity to forget everything you learned in the past and start over again. They want you to learn things their way, including the RCO training.

Going from the BNSF to the UP, be prepared to lose your short crew pay, too.

As far as hiring bonuses, it flatly states on their website that they are not offering them. I think the best an experienced railroader could currently do with them would be to hire out at full rate of pay and maybe an extra week of vacation.

PS: I don't think the BNSF's Northwest Division is subject to the systemwide seniority. Others can't come in, our young guys can't go out.

they wont even pay my claim why would you want to work here?????

Ok so this means a person could be cut if someone wanted that job?

I would think long and hard about leaving BNSF--you'll give up short crew, and systemwide seniority really isn't a bad deal. Are you getting a lot of "foreigners" bumping you or something? If you are, consider going to a big terminal--turnover is higher and your seniority builds faster. Still, UP beats CSX and NS for sure.

newmanonthejob wrote:they wont even pay my claim why would you want to work here?????

oh noes a claim was denied THIS RAILROAD R SUX!!!!11

Seriously dude welcome to the railroad, if you think other lines don't decline claims you're only fooling yourself.

repling to newmanonthejob. the up is really picky on how time claims are submitted. ihave had quite a few denied my self. but dont let it get the best of you. submit it again and if that don't work then call timekeeping. if that fails then give the claim to your union rep

SteelWheels21 wrote:UP's seniority goes by service unit, not system wide. If someone wishes to transfer to another division, they have to find someone willing to "swap" with them, there is no system-wide bumping.

Actually, the seniority goes by district, not service unit. Example, as an engineer, I can work any job in Iowa, but have no rights on jobs that go to Minnesota.

Even terminals in the same district will have different rules about marking up on jobs. In Mason City, we have a 30-day bump rule, yet in Boone, no such agreement exists. But we are still covered under the CNW agreement.

Because of the CNW/UP merger, I have prior rights on jobs in Mason City as a trainman. A more senior man cannot bump me unless he also has prior rights.

There are men in the St. Paul district who are not only covered by CNW rules, but also Omaha Road rules and CGW rules on certain things like vacations. In Chicago, you have men covered under the CE&I and MoPac agreements in the same terminal. New hires however, fall under the current UP agreement. Those hired prior to 1996 fall under CNW rules. Then there is the SPCSL district which have separate rules.

Confused yet?

p.s. As far as bonus and special treatment? Not sure about other contracts, but the Fireman's agreement states no one gets ahead of others waiting for promotion to Engineer. So the carrier cannot promise you a thing, despite having a license.

oh noes a claim was denied THIS RAILROAD R SUX!!!!11

Your silly attempt at mimicking a 13 year old counterstrike player with your "leet" speak kills me.

TxBritt

I heard the same thing about BN so it must be a rumor. Rumors tend to travel fast at the railroad. I have worked at UP for 5 years now and I can't even hold anything in my service unit yet they are hiring new classes like crazy? Sound like a company you would like to work for? Record profits are being turned out in our company and the employees with 5 years or less seniority can't even work because they are spending their money hiring new people. And this is a union job. I haven't heard of any hiring bonuses at UP and as a matter of fact they will most likely lie to you like we were about working after training. Good luck to the people marking up after training. You will be thrown to the wolves then furlough shortly there after.

keoni503 wrote:I heard the same thing about BN so it must be a rumor. Rumors tend to travel fast at the railroad. I have worked at UP for 5 years now and I can't even hold anything in my service unit yet they are hiring new classes like crazy? Sound like a company you would like to work for? Record profits are being turned out in our company and the employees with 5 years or less seniority can't even work because they are spending their money hiring new people. And this is a union job. I haven't heard of any hiring bonuses at UP and as a matter of fact they will most likely lie to you like we were about working after training. Good luck to the people marking up after training. You will be thrown to the wolves then furlough shortly there after.

Keon hey what service unit do you work out of if I may ask