OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific is seeking changes to the quality-of-life scheduling agreement it reached with the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen last year, saying it is getting significantly less work than expected out of engineers where it has implemented the new schedule. The BLET has gone to court because the agreement has not been fully enacted, but the dispute remains unresolved, the Associated Press reports.
The agreement reached last year makes engineers available for 11 days, after which they are guaranteed for four days off. When it was ratified, the union called it an “industry-changing agreement that will greatly augment [members’] quality of life,” while UP said it would enable the railroad to better manage staffing levels [see “BLET members ratify engineer scheduling agreement,” Trains News Wire, June 30, 2023].
Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena said the railroad needs changes after being forced to hire additional engineers to cover for the workers getting their scheduled time off.
“The amount of work we’re getting — the starts per the 11 days that they’re available — is not anywhere near where both us or the union thought it was going to be,” Vena told the AP. “So we’re just trying to figure out how we can fix or tweak it. But at the end of the day, we’ve committed to people. We signed an 11-and-four deal and we’ll live up to our commitments.”
One scheduling issue from the railroad’s standpoint is that, after engineers works four straight days, federal law requires them to have 24 hours. A change sought by UP is to place those coming off the four-day break at the top of the call list for train service, but that makes things less predictable for others. The BLET, which went to court after UP missed a deadline in the agreement, is seeking to get the new scheduling for the 60% of its members who do not yet have it, and wants those coming off the four-day break placed at the bottom of the call list.
What’s the problem, increase train lengths. Fewer crews, more blocked crossings, according to some maybe more derailments, railroads don’t think so.
The solution is obvious. Hire more people.
Apparently that is the problem… they had to hire more people to replace the ones getting the four day break but the Federal Law (probably from the steam era) that requires 24 off after 48 on is throwing a kink in the issue that neither UP nor the BLET anticipated. Now, the only right thing is for the Feds to give UP a waiver on the 24/48 rule since the engineers are getting 4 days off for being available for 11 days which everyone agreed to. As far as who gets marked up first, that should be a union issue since they have to deal with member issues. KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) this issue and move on.
Perhaps UP can get a waiver from the FRA to increase the number of consecutive starts and increase the amount of mandatory rest at the end of the work week. Or they just need to schedule their trains better. Everyone one on the ballast level knew this wasn’t going to work like they had planned.
Maybe but the union agreed and now they need to work with UP to keep it and make it manageable for everyone.
Why should the FRA give the RRs a waver. The railroads and the Union negotiated a deal. Thats is. The Union is happy with the deal that was agreed upon. The RR had chosen to change the agreement and many divisions have decided to fight it in court.
The FRA continues to give railroads waivers for all kinds of things. Where is the unions waiver?
Do they need a waiver to follow the agreement? Why would the railroad need a waiver when you sign your name on the dotted line that’s it if you would like to change it then you suck it up do what you’re supposed to do and you go back the next time around Negotiations are coming back around soon.
And why do railroads get a waver? Do you get a waiver to make you more money at your job because you dont like your negotiated contract a few months in.
Imagine if Philip Morris got a waiver to sell tobacco to minors. They didn’t realize how much it was going to hurt their bottom line.