Statistically speaking, here is some numbers crunching facts.
People who have jobs with weekends off (the American standard), have 104 days off a year. They also receive most holidays off. As a bonus, standard jobs get one to two weeks vacation a year, better jobs, much more.
Railroaders are punished with excessive layoffs on weekends. With business booming and a shortage of men in 2011, we now are told we cannot use single vacation days or personal leave days (unless a manager calls on our behalf). Holidays we are threatened with job security if we lay off. Maximum vacation is five weeks. Let's see, 5 x 7 = 35 days. Maximum personal leave days allowed is 11. So let's do the math, 35 plus 11 equals 46. Compare 46 to 104 out of 365 excluding holidays and vacation. Not good for railroaders. Better money perhaps, but if you add the real time a road crew is away from home and divide that, then the hourly rate is extremely low.
Men, we are afraid of losing our good pay, but we cannot be afraid to face the facts and negotiate on such.
The national standard Is 40 hour work weeks with the ability to come home.
Railroaders are on call 24-7, 365 days a year (well unless they are on vacation). Now we are talking road crews. There are some yard jobs with more normal hours. Most of those however are one man remote crews, so engineers have been forced out on the road. There are very few jobs available for engineers NOT on the road. Here, I am just pushing out the argument that we have choices. I want to focus on the facts of road crews who protect and handle freight traffic across America. Bottom line is, we are way below the national average for rest and family time "quality of life" planning.
Let me ask you, if you are tired, have been putting in long hard hours at work, spending the night away from home, without the luxury of good food, or regular hours, do you feel good? Are you in a good mood or irritable? Do you feel like attending social functions? Do you even feel like having a happy wife and kids full of energy to greet you at the door? I used to do all this, but I would be hard pressed to say I could or would want to do it all over again. Still I personally do not have an easy time of wanting a personal relationship since the drama of not being available to make and keep plans disappoints too many partners. Peace and rest with contentment is the best I can hope for at this stage in my personal life. God bless the married man who has a patient wife at home waiting with a clean house, laundry done, bills handled, repairs made, and a hot meal cooked.
Last year being on call was not so bad. Since business was slow I could take a day off and rest maybe two or three. This year brings home the need even stronger that we desire a better schedule for allowed rest time. Our boards are depleted most days and trains are stalled waiting for rested men. Yards are plugged so trains are left waiting for hours on end to get through the terminals. The biggest problem trainmen are frustrated with is (#1) they are dealing with the aforementioned exacerbations, but now many trains sit five to six hours either leaving Fort Worth or entering Fort Worth. Standard rule of thumb is "blame the trainmen". We are an easy target, because we do not generate reports to show the facts, thus contradicting those who do.
Solutions are not easy to come by, but killing and defeating the men who are dedicated to keeping the freight moving needs to stop. (Side point....many railroaders die within one to two years of retirement). There are proven failures in having trains ready to depart Fort Worth terminal when crews are called on duty. With yards plugged, and therefore the need to move trains out, it is a crying shame that work forces and budgeting have cut back operations so tight that Power is not clean, repaired, or readily available.
There are not enough hostlers on duty to do what is necessary. Vans are not available to deliver hostlers or crews in a timely manner. If one car man lays off, then the others have to cover his work, so they are forced to give less than appropriate air tests. If revenues are important, then we MUST utilize the tools and people we have more appropriately. We make money moving and delivering freight to customers. I can guarantee no managers at the top enjoys crunching numbers to cover up deficiencies and create "good" reports while also juggling with these deficiencies. If we are "world class" then why are we still working with a lot of "stone-age" mentality? To make money we have to spend money. I can hear the brakes screeching to a halt now!!
We need a team who can meet regularly with realistic data of what the terminal is capable of handling. A new plan needs to be set forth. We cannot afford to continue to cover up deficiencies while we preach safety. Let's not be blind and lie to ourselves. Perfect is not of this world. Until we honestly admit problems and failures bringing the railroad to a newer standard, we cannot "fix it". Testing, bullying, lying, and falsifying, is not the answer. Realistic goals with rested men who feel empowered to do their jobs because the standards allow a "quality of life" with an emphasis put on feeling good about what we do needs to happen and happen NOW.
This was written June 23, but hoped you might find it to be inspiring.
I am seeing improvement. The FW trains have changed call times and we seem to not be experiencing the long delay times because of the yardmaster, service track, hostlers, and car men being enabled to bring it all together. Exactly the original purpose of the Viva Primo Train project.
Much much more is happening, and I hope you will stay involved with your input to help us.....
Make the world a better place. Have a blessed day. Mitz!
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