Will our union leadership try to get Conductors/RCL operators those in cab jobs if they go to 1 man crews? Like RCL where we were able to do our job without a Engineer and run the train. That's what they should be fighting for again if it's going to be 1 man crews. I hope they're at least going to fight for it like they did for RCL and created all those jobs for us that engineers were unable to do!!!!
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You’re kidding, right?
While we are on the subject, consider that we are saving a few gallons of diesel at $2 bucks and change a gallon. How much money per hour do the crews and mechanical personnel waiting to boot up, link up, etc? Not to mention engine wear from dry starts, flywheel teeth, burn’t up starters, ruined batteries, and labor to repair. Tripping over $100 bills to pick up nickels.
Figure in down-time due to computer glitches, re-boot, etc.
Let’s be real. They can hire contractors who do the work cheaper and better than the Union.
Don’t count on it. A lot of yard jobs on the UP have went back to conventional with engineers. RCO’s are only feasible in certain situations, most of which are not on the main line.
Rcl puts more stress and rules on fewer crew members. As far as I'm concerned the more the better. The more engineers marked up means more trainmen marked up. Rcl is neat but a three man crew can do it faster and with less b—s— equipment and useless tech. The only limitations are experience and attitude/work ethic.
I don’t have much Engineer seniority any more but when I get cut back to Conductor I will have lots of seniority. The young guys are out regardless I think some don’t understand if you get rid of engineers that’s just fine most of us will still have jobs we’ll just be called Conductors again and you younger guys will still be out of a job. If you aren’t over the 50% mark on most rosters you’ll be out of a job. Most of the older guys in my zone are in their mid 40s tho mid 50s so it’s going to be a while. And if you can wait 5 to 10 years for a job opportunity to open up the train will probably be autonomous.. So no matter who vets the ax look at your trainman roster and count how many guys are on it above you working as engineers.
@OP Using technology to make one of the crew members redundant is the entire point of the process. What would you like the union to do? Force UP to keep people on the payroll when software can do the job cheaper and better? That's not how business or capitalism works.
I'm cutoff and wasn't around when rco took place but, the same strategy would have to happen to secure jobs. We are twice as big as the BLE so we're stronger. UTU needs to step up their game again !!!!!
That's what we're hoping. They are negotiating alone again so it's probably on the table. It's now about the money we would get, the long term security locked in and renegotiate the license to do like what they did with RCO.