% of men retiring.

i was told by a rep that the % on men retiring in the next 5-7 years was about 70%. that might explain the mass hiring that csx is doing.

Hi,

That would also explain why your seniority is rising by leaps and bounds.

It is...happening all over.

All of a sudden I can hold work I couldn't touch, ever, just a few months before.

Sad part is...a lot of it is happening because the work and conditions are changing to where the old heads don't even recognize it any more. Latest push: No more time to move on bumps.

That was our last refuge of getting needed time off.

What they didn't tell you was that is the percentage of people who are eligble to retire. That dosen't mean that they will. In fact, it's most likely that they won't retire in this time frame.

So expect to work the worst jobs, get laid off, ect. for quite sometime.

I could go into some detail on how the "old heads",in the past, sold the new guys out and created alot of the conditions in railroading today, and are still doing so today even though they are about to "retire".

I won't get into it here, but my advice is get involved in your union, esp. if you're in the UTU.

Frankly, Ironman , most of the old heads I work with are counting down the days to their 60th birthdays. They consider any one who stays a day longer than that to be a bit of a fool.

I know some that think like that, but around here most seem to want to stay on the job even though they can retire, mainly because of they can hold all of the really high paying jobs. That and they will miss all of the BS that goes with the job.

pharmerphil54 wrote:Frankly, Ironman , most of the old heads I work with are counting down the days to their 60th birthdays. They consider any one who stays a day longer than that to be a bit of a fool.

And we both know this is a reason why I won't bump you.

Ironman wrote:I know some that think like that, but around here most seem to want to stay on the job even though they can retire, mainly because of they can hold all of the really high paying jobs. That and they will miss all of the BS that goes with the job.

And this is what happens when you have no life and your life becomes your work.........pretty sad don't you think? I will never be caught bullshitting about railroad on my spare time the way I see some of these guys doing......as if they have nothing more in their lives to talk about.....hobbies, fun things to do, etc.

No, they sit around excited to talk about their rosters.......borinnnnnnnng

Yes, I hate work in general, but the railroad pays good, so this is my work. That work stays at that yard when I'm done making out my slip

And those greedy old heads that probably painted themselves into a corner by buying too many things to give up working for, screw all of us. Not only that, the ones who just have no life and stay marked up are no different than the prison inmates who become institutionalized and can't make it on their own in the world so they stay where they are comfortable in prison.

Pre 85.........didn't they get a 20K$ bonus for signing most of their rights away as well as the rest of us who have hired since?

guys i'm new to railroading in general and i hear alot about what has happened to the rail industry since 1985. i don't know what it is about that year,1985,or close to it, that i've heard so much about.could some one who has a GOOD understanding of the industry please add to this subject,and what areas it pertains to,crafts and such.just trying to get a good background in the industry before i get started in what i hope is a long,and positive career.thanks to all.

1985 was the year major changes happened in the union work rules that apply to train crews, Conductors, Engineers, Brakemen, etc. The other crafts weren't hammered as bad... although they also took big hits as a result of "pattern bargaining"... such as "incidental work" and entry rate progressions...

The biggest pending issue before the MOW/BMWE employees is the railroads "contracting out" MOW work to non-union companies. The railroads will hire a non-union company to build/assemble turnouts at some factory and ship them to the work site. This work was always done "in-house" by the railroad's own union employees...

Controlled Speed--I remember when you posted that you were hired--not that long ago!!
I'm not saying that you don't speak the truth--Just that you sound like an old head.
It is what it is brother---make the best of it!!!
I too am a new hire 2 yrs seniority so hopefully we'll move up the ladder quick?

So someone who choses to continue working past 60 is greedy and is screwing other guys? Who are you to tell someone when they should retire? If you want them to retire so you can move up the ladder and hold better jobs, doesn't that make you just as greedy? What does someone who is 60 owe to someone who hired out after him? Fortunately not everybody hired these days has such twisted logic.

I would hardly say that most guys are greedy when it comes to leaving when they are 60. Not everyone started at an age that allows them to retire with the min age of 60 years and 30 years in service. Like me, I'll have to work until I am 65 to get my full 30 years in. Does that make me greedy?

On the Salt Lake City hub many guys have start dates from 10/1968 to 11/1974. The guy who started in 1968 will retire later this year.

At the risk of starting an uproar... We (union railroaders) all
pushed for the 60/30 legislation a few years back. We won
and can get out early. What I don't understand is many
railroaders have worked 30-40 or more years out here with
most living out of a suitcase, why wouldn't you want to retire
ASAP? We have 3 engineers and several more conductors
who can retire now, yet they have no plans to do so.

One thing that many people fail to recognize is that you are LOSING
money when you work past retirement age. The RRB annuity varies
by worker but if you earn $70,000 per year and are entitled to
an annuity of $35,000 from RRB then your salary is "really"
$35,000. (70,000-35,000=35,000). Your work your whole career
paying into Railroad Retirement and if you work past retirement age you
will NEVER get that money back AND still pay taxes into RRB!

It is not so much that a senior man is entitled to his seniority rather
he is giving up all that he has worked for in terms of the money
he has contributed to RRB. Yes, I want to move up in seniority,
and would not begrudge a man's right to work, but realistically
anybody who works when they can retire is foolish.

I was told like 60% in the next 5 to 10 years for UP. Here, there are quite a few guys that are going to retire when the Dock runs out. The rest are planning on jumping to the extra board but I dont see that lasting long. When you've been on a cush job making good money due to the Dock, going to the extra board could be rough.

People here are holding turns on the road with less then 3 years in. A little over three years and they are holding engineer jobs.

I've been in 3 months. Next winter might be dicey and I might have to go somewhere to work but after that, I should be in good shape.