CSX new hire furloughed

Unfortunately, the BNSF is well on its way to again furloughing numbers near the high of June 15th, 3094. Vacations are done, kiddies are in school, and the economy is still in the crapper! There may be a few called back due to xtra-boards needing people to satisfy the hunters that go out in the fall. Unless UPS, and other shippers start pushin' more freight and manufactures want more raw materials most of us won't be back 'til May or June of 2010. Unfortunately, some won't come back at all! I along with three thousand others are going to need to bide our time and wait it out. Our time will come and we'll soon be the ones tellin' all the new guys the war stories of how long this furlough lasted as they cringe at the thought.

We're all just slabs of meat to the BNSF. They bring us out of the freezer once in a while, always ready, always availible then stuff us back in the freezer when they're tired of lookin' at us.

There may be one bright spot as many of the old heads may retire this coming year prior to April in order to avoid the predicted problems with their protected brakeman's "kitty" funds. They won't be able to take a lump sum after April but instead, receive a payout over time. And, there will be some that refuse to recertify 'cause the tests aren't open book anymore and are much harder to pass! Then some won't be back 'cause they can't stand the management BS anymore!

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The word on the street is that once you have been laid off (furlough) for a certain amount of time, the railroad doesn't have to call you back. They can simply let you go, and hire people off the street. Why they would ever do such a stupid thing to waste all that time and money training us is beyond me, but I want to be absolutely sure that I will be called back eventually.
Has anyone else herd anything like this? Any thoughts?

The time limit is one year. That doesn't mean they won't recall someone who has been out longer. You must maintain a current address/contact number with the railroad every 6 months. If anything changes it would be wise to notify the railroad immediately you can do it on the CSX Gateway. I'm not sure how they recall anymore years ago it was one attempt by telephone if no contact a registered letter. Make sure you understand the time limits they vary from 14 days to 30 days to mark up from recall notice. Contact your local chairmen for that info. I'm sure each railroad has their own policies contact your LC. If your furloughed make it to the union meetings your still a member. You can get a wealth of knowledge going to them each month. I read this morning NS has pulled all their rail cars out of storage things might be picking up.

Actually the time limit is One Year BUT there is a temporary stop on that delays this until (and I can't find the link at the moment but I believe it was) February of 2010. Which then means on February 2010 your one year clock starts, with just ONE work event in that year, resetting your clock. Some speculation that the provision of the national contract that allows for this to happen MAY be suspended for a time longer and the word on the street is that very few (if any?) have actually lost their seniority (aka been let go) after one year. There would be a lot of room for allegations of bias if conductor A was called back, B wasn't and C was if their seniority was A,B,C...I would suspect a good lawyer could run with that one on a discrimination case pretty easily (just my two cents). However, if they call you back and you don't report (under whatever terms your agreement calls for), you're done.

SimTrains wrote:The word on the street is that once you have been laid off (furlough) for a certain amount of time, the railroad doesn't have to call you back. They can simply let you go, and hire people off the street. Why they would ever do such a stupid thing to waste all that time and money training us is beyond me, but I want to be absolutely sure that I will be called back eventually.
Has anyone else herd anything like this? Any thoughts?

This agreement allows railroads to weed out the few bad apples.... If you were a good employee, you have nothing to worry about!

Any news? More layoffs or more mark ups? Just curious if any has any new info?

I was just wondering if some of you guys that have some time on the rr,could answer some questions for me. I was hired on 9/28/08 and was furloughed on 1/17/09 out of connellsville pa. during my ojt (Baltimore Division).Over the past few months,I've noticed that csx has alot of jobs posted for conductor and even as we speak they have conductor positions posted. When I was furloughed, they told us that we would be called back to work before anyone was hired off the street. I do know that it does depend on where your location is in the U.S.. I was just wondering if any of you could help me understand how this company works. They have classes underway at the redi center as we speak,I just dont understand at all.

You've been furloughed for about 15 months!!?????

Are there any jobs posted for your seniority district? Were you offered a transfer? A good friend of mine has been on the bench since november 2009, he has been offered several transfers. Since you werent finished with OJT it maybe different for you.

I was offered a transfer but they sent the letter out to me on 2/12/10 and I didn't recieve it until 2/26/10. According to the letter you only had until 3/1/10 to decide if you wanted the transfer or not. I know that doesn't meen you'll get the transfer but three days just isn't enough time for me to decide to move myself and my family.

As long as CSX isn't hiring and sending people to the REDI at your location you're still in wait statis. Once there is a need you'll be recalled to complete your training. CSX doesn't have system wide seniority.

Anyone know anything about the situation on the C&O in Richmond, Va?

I was furloughed during OJT and have been hearing about traffic picking up and people getting called back. Any ideas when the trainees could expect to called back?

CSX-Mike wrote:Anyone know anything about the situation on the C&O in Richmond, Va?

I was furloughed during OJT and have been hearing about traffic picking up and people getting called back. Any ideas when the trainees could expect to called back?

I know that the conductors that were furloughed had been called back this past month. Most should be marked up by now seeing they had to do a physical. I know of at least 2 that are not coming back to work. Coal business has increased and will continue. Hopefully the trainees will be getting the call to return to work shortly. If you have Mike Downer or John Barrons phone numbers give them a call their the UTU local chairmen for the C&O in Richmond. As for myself I opened up an engineers slot in Fulton as of 3/8/10 I'm officially retired. Good luck.

Congrats coen on your retirement. enjoy it! its funny that you mention the business picking up. i work in a coal mine in sw pennsylvania. i was talking to a foreman recently about when the next longwall mining section would open up. he told me it probably would be delayed a little due to the fact that our silo at the prep plant was full. i asked him why and he told me that there aren't enough trains to move it fast enough. the mine i work for is serviced by both csx and ns. its too bad that there are t&e guys still on the street when there is work out there. i wonder why csx and ns wouldn't make sure there were trains available to move the coal?

OK Got My Call Friday from a long layoff from CSX. Set Up Physical Monday and I heard That might half to go to the Redi Center for about 5 to 8 days. Anybody got there Call yet? Has anybody been back to Redi Center for Refresher Course yet and what did you do when you went there.