Denver, CO or Vancouver, WA

I am currently on the board down in Denver and I have the chance to move up to Vancouver Washington (Portland is my home) but I am leary of the seniority system and what the current state of the union is up there. Is it going to be a furlough nightmare and is it worth giving up my seniority date of 9/07? Thoughts? Advice?

I guess it would all hinge on what you think about Denver. Going to the Northern lines, you'll be giving up your seniority. If course, if you're new to BNSF, you don't have much seniority to give up anyway. If family, friends and your old job are up there, you might actually be better off. Taking into account that there is still some support when you get laid off.

The boards look pretty full right now, so I don't know what to tell you. At Denver, you still have system wide seniority. That being said, they are recruiting people to move to Denver from the Powder River and they will bring their seniority with them.

It all boils down to if you can ride out the slow times and if you can even arrange to be released to go up there.

Good luck.

If I were you I would wait. With a 9/07 date you wouldn't even be able to hold a job in Vancouver. Or anywhere else in this senority district. If you want to establish a new date asap you could do it now. You would have to have something else to do for money, because after you familiarized you would be on the work retention board. I have a little over 6 years and I am the bottom guy on the switchmans extra board in K Falls. I wouldnt be worried about the transfer. They seem to approve anybody. They let an engineer slip back in after he came out, transferred back home (Wyoming) and come back out again. Which isnt supposed to happen.

Right now, I think this topic will move to the Employment Forum.