by slchub
Gilbert B Norman wrote:Before coming over to the RR, I was in the airline industry for 16 years. In those 16 years, I was employed by 5 airlines, 3 of which are no longer in existence. What many long time RR's fail to understand (in my own opinion) is that the management style and the economics of business is changing. Labor is not longer being viewed as an asset, but a liability. The days of claiming 24 hours in an 8 hour period are long gone as the business models cannot sustain it, nor tolerate it. Amtrak is always on the chopping block.czhoghead wrote:There is no pay differential, Engineer and Second Engineer positions pay the same.It appears Mr. SLCHub that I did misquote you. My comments were drawn from those made by a colleague of yours and cited above.
The logic of closing the so-called "mini" crew bases escapes me; they were created, in theory, to streamline and economize the operation. OMA - CHI will require nine spots, the same number needed for single Engineer LNK - OTM and OTM - CHI operation. In fact, due to manpower shortages, the service has been covered with eight men as LNK is often (as it is currently) down to just three.
Likewise, SLC - GJT requires the same number of men as SLC - HER and HER - GJT did and, in fact, created Held Away pay in GJT that did not previously exist; apparently that decision was at least partially based on the inability of the SLC Road Foreman to effectively manage the GJT men "from a distance".
I have edited the faulty posting to reflect such; possibly you will choose to withdraw yours or at least the quote.
However, I stand on my premise that in "one a day' territory, in either class of service, economies were realized by "rum 'em as long and as far as you can". However, with the existing Engine Crew Consist agreement on Amtrak requiring two engineers to be assigned to scheduled runs greater than six hours, that premise is mitigated.
Again my apology, but if you are of thought that Engine Crew districts should be as long as possible, assignment of two Engineers notwithstanding, I hope you will choose to share your thoughts..
What guys need to realize is that upper Mgt. will always be paid more. They are paid upon decisions made by the board of the company. While our pay and benefits have not been raised to a level where they were 20 years ago, we still have a job and benefits. If the company decides to shorten the runs to a one-man operation, then so be it. I don't like it, but the economic benefits outweigh any negative thoughts on that. As I am the second man on the board from the bottom, I'd probably get cut off in SLC. So be it. I have nationwide seniority (except for the Corridor) and would have to chase my seniority elsewhere. But I would still have a job (maybe, LOL).