Amtrak OBS shortage and salary

[PaTrainFan]

Not sure if this belongs here or elsewhere, but this was an informative story.
Edit: replaced WTOP story with Trains article which is more informative.

https://www.trains.com/trn/news-rev...-hiring-events-in-push-to-fill-job-vacancies/

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Not sure if this belongs here or elsewhere, but this was an informative story.
Edit: replaced WTOP story with Trains article which is more informative.

https://www.trains.com/trn/news-rev...-hiring-events-in-push-to-fill-job-vacancies/

They had a job fare up here in Rensselaer, NY. They posted the notice on Tuesday 16th for a fare on Wednesday 17th. It also was by inviting only. So no I don’t think this is going to help them.

 

[tricia]

Not sure if this belongs here or elsewhere, but this was an informative story.
Edit: replaced WTOP story with Trains article which is more informative.

https://www.trains.com/trn/news-rev...-hiring-events-in-push-to-fill-job-vacancies/

From the article:

The company has struggled to fill positions in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, during which it furloughed about 1,200 employees and engaged in buyouts for more than 500 others.

So roughly half of the problem was created by Amtrak's own incompetence. Despite the fact that Congress provided money to keep staff employed.

 

[lordsigma]

From the article:


So roughly half of the problem was created by Amtrak's own incompetence. Despite the fact that Congress provided money to keep staff employed.

That isn’t exactly true. Congress provided money to retain staff in the CARES act until the end of the FY20 fiscal year which Amtrak indeed did - this money was however not unlimited. Congress declined to pass additional Covid funding when it could have prevented the furloughs. The idea that they defied congress by doing furloughs and triweekly service is somewhat disingenuous. Amtrak was upfront with congress about this and when they would act and provided them with numbers that would be required to avoid cuts and maintain full service through FY21 - Again they did not act which one could interpret as their approval of the furloughs and tri weekly service - at least at that point in time.

Saying the furloughs and buyouts are responsible for half of the current workforce shortage is also an exaggeration. They didn’t help - but some of the furloughed workers did in fact return - enough in fact to resume daily service in June of 2021. Amtrak has lost a large number of employees to retirement and resignations in the months since and hiring has not kept up with this.

Amtrak needs to do more and do better no doubt - but we shouldn’t be attacking them with exaggerated claims either.

 

[daybeers]

Not sure if this belongs here or elsewhere, but this was an informative story.
Edit: replaced WTOP story with Trains article which is more informative.

https://www.trains.com/trn/news-rev...-hiring-events-in-push-to-fill-job-vacancies/

I have zero confidence that these will be successful knowing Amtrak's HR and general management departments.

Also, OBS starts at $21/hour?!? What a joke!

 

[PaTrainFan]

I have zero confidence that these will be successful knowing Amtrak's HR and general management departments.

Also, OBS starts at $21/hour?!? What a joke!

I recall a post from someone a few weeks ago (apologies I am too lazy to look it up) who attended an Amtrak hiring event it sounded like a complete fiasco. No one was there when it was supposed to start, poor communication during the event, he thought he was offered a job but was not, etc. Hope they get their act together.

 

[wrowland]

I have zero confidence that these will be successful knowing Amtrak's HR and general management departments.

Also, OBS starts at $21/hour?!? What a joke!

Is $21/hr too low or too high? I can't tell based on the post. My guess is too low but some chemists working in biotechnology labs don't even start at $21/hr and they have degrees in chemistry or biotechnology, biology, etc. so I'm not sure.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Is $21/hr too low or too high? I can't tell based on the post. My guess is too low but some chemists working in biotechnology labs don't even start at $21/hr and they have degrees in chemistry or biotechnology, biology, etc. so I'm not sure.

Working as OBS is MIUCH harder than some work done by People with Degrees.

As the song goes "..Six Days on the Road and I'm gonna make it home tonight.."( Maybe with the Current OTP problems!)

$21 Hr is NOT a Liveable Wage in most Large Cities in this Country, hence OBS jobs go begging.

 

[Eric in East County]

According to the Rail Passengers Association’s latest “hotline,” Amtrak is still having a hard time hiring suitable people to fill mechanical department vacancies. New hires are flunking drug tests or lack the basic skills (i.e. being able to read manuals or do simple arithmetic) needed to maintain the equipment. Until this situation starts to turn itself around, fewer cars will be available and reservations will continue to be downgraded or cancelled outright.

 

[wrowland]

Working as OBS is MIUCH harder than some work done by People with Degrees.

As the song goes "..Six Days on the Road and I'm gonna make it home tonight.."( Maybe with the Current OTP problems!)

$21 Hr is NOT a Liveable Wage in most Large Cities in this Country, hence OBS jobs go begging.

Thanks for this info. What are folks thoughts on tips for these OBS? I want to make sure I tip in alignment with expectations I guess. Thx!

 

[Bob Dylan]

Thanks for this info. What are folks thoughts on tips for these OBS? I want to make sure I tip in alignment with expectations I guess. Thx!

There's an extensive thread on AU about tipping OBS and other Amtrak employees ( Red Caps and Station Staff).

Please read the Posts, It'll help you make your own mind up about tipping.

 

[junebug]

I would think Amtrak makes the most money off the sleeper cars, not coach? Wouldn't it make more sense to upgrade the sleeper cars maybe charge more and attract a lot more boomers for leisurely vacations?

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Working as OBS is MIUCH harder than some work done by People with Degrees.

It's also MUCH easier than people who work manual labor jobs in the sun, rain, and snow.

$21 Hr is NOT a Liveable Wage in most Large Cities in this Country, hence OBS jobs go begging.

Who is paying a significantly higher starting salary for front line service staff?

Thanks for this info. What are folks thoughts on tips for these OBS? I want to make sure I tip in alignment with expectations I guess. Thx!

If you're in coach there's no reason to tip and if you've booked a sleeper you'll join coach soon.

 

[Bob Dylan]

It's also MUCH easier than people who work manual labor jobs in the sun, rain, and snow.


Who is paying a significantly higher starting salary for front line service staff?

What you say about Manual Laborers is true Chris, but those folks get to go home every night!

I know you live in San Antionio which notoriously pays Low Wages to its Workers, but here in Austin and most Large Cities, the Minimim Wages for lots of places that are hiring are $20+ an Hour and if in a Union, Higher!

I personally know some good ex Amtrak OBS that have taken Better Paying Jobs with Comparable Benefits, and are very Glad they did!

 

[Eric in East County]

I would think Amtrak makes the most money off the sleeper cars, not coach? Wouldn't it make more sense to upgrade the sleeper cars maybe charge more and attract a lot more boomers for leisurely vacations?

Back in the days when interstate highways and air travel as we know them today were still in the unimaged future, most everyone used the train for their long-distance travel.

Few people today can fully comprehend how the railroads went about meeting the demand for the various accommodations they offered including the higher-priced bedrooms. If there was a particularly high demand for bedrooms on a certain run, extra sleepers would be added. In some cases, when the demand for bedrooms was particularly high, a train such as the NYC’s Twentieth Century Limited ran in three or more sections, each section being a complete train. (Each of these sections departed within minutes of each other and arrived within minutes of each other.)

As has been discussed in other threads, the demand for Amtrak sleeping car bedrooms now exceeds the supply, despite the high prices being charged for them. (This was already the case even before the current “equipment shortage,” which has resulted in a reduction of the number of sleeping cars in service.) I once asked why Amtrak couldn’t add additional sleepers or even run a train consisting entirely of sleepers based on the demand for bedrooms. Various people gave reasons why this couldn’t be done.

 

[Willbridge]

Back in the days when interstate highways and air travel as we know them today were still in the unimaged future, most everyone used the train for their long-distance travel.

Few people today can fully comprehend how the railroads went about meeting the demand for the various accommodations they offered including the higher-priced bedrooms. If there was a particularly high demand for bedrooms on a certain run, extra sleepers would be added. In some cases, when the demand for bedrooms was particularly high, a train such as the NYC’s Twentieth Century Limited ran in three or more sections, each section being a complete train. (Each of these sections departed within minutes of each other and arrived within minutes of each other.)

As has been discussed in other threads, the demand for Amtrak sleeping car bedrooms now exceeds the supply, despite the high prices being charged for them. (This was already the case even before the current “equipment shortage,” which has resulted in a reduction of the number of sleeping cars in service.) I once asked why Amtrak couldn’t add additional sleepers or even run a train consisting entirely of sleepers based on the demand for bedrooms. Various people gave reasons why this couldn’t be done.

The main reason for Amtrak not running extra sections is that they have been short of cars through most of their existence. Some railroads would object to extra sections, but others would and have accepted extra sections on an occasional basis. When the Rio Grande joined Amtrak, the operating agreement specified that Amtrak had the right to run second sections, for example. I checked a 1989 Amtrak operating agreement with the Santa Fe and it had a specific discussion about extra sections as distinct from special trains. The framework is there, the resources are not.

The last time I saw en engine displaying green lights indicating that a second section was following was in December 1965. Now we're lucky to even have the advertised cars on a train.

Coming back to the current car shortage: they had little to no slack in some categories before the pandemic, so it didn't take much to make things worse.

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

Is $21/hr too low or too high? I can't tell based on the post. My guess is too low but some chemists working in biotechnology labs don't even start at $21/hr and they have degrees in chemistry or biotechnology, biology, etc. so I'm not sure.

When my daughter was looking for library jobs in 2019 (12/18 MLIS from Dominican University in the Chicago suburbs), she concentrated on applying for jobs which paid at least $20/hr. A lot of entry-level jobs for librarians with Master's degrees were paying less. So $21/hr. doesn't sound unreasonable to me for entry-level OBS jobs on Amtrak.

 

[toddinde]

It’s a very difficult job, frequently with many days away from home. I’m not sure what the salary should be. Benefits obviously figure into the calculus. I suppose if you can’t hire, then the salary is too low.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Is $21/hr too low or too high? I can't tell based on the post. My guess is too low but some chemists working in biotechnology labs don't even start at $21/hr and they have degrees in chemistry or biotechnology, biology, etc. so I'm not sure.

IMO it's Too LOW.

It's not even a Liveable Wage in most Cities, and would make a Good Trainee Wage while they are going through their Training period.

Most Union Members make more, and even here in Austin and Low Wage Texas, jobs that pay more and don't require you to spend most of your working time away from home,Pay More with Benefits.

At first glance to some people that make $7.25 HR or even even Less!( in Texas Waitpersons and Bartenders csn be Paid $2.10 an Hour plus Tips!)it seems like WonderfulMoney.

$21 an Hour based on a 40 Hour Week, is only $41,600 a Year minus Deducts( Taxes,RRR,Insurance etc.) Hardly a Great Salary in today's Economy.( in some Large Cities it would barely Pay the Rent)

I personally know some OBS who were laid off or quit for easier jobs that Pay more and they get to be Home every night!

 

[Old MM]

Is the shortage of OBS a bigger problem than the shortage of Mechanics? Would indicate both are underpaid positions. And the training pay has to be worthwhile too.
Having known quite a few airplane mechanics, it was apparent how much experience mattered. Learning the by the book stuff was one thing, getting that deep knowledge of systems and fixes wasn't something that happened in a short space of time. I hope Amtrak retained enough senior mechanics during the pandemic layoff period so that maybe this downgrade situation can be alleviated.

 

[tricia]

Working as OBS is MIUCH harder than some work done by People with Degrees.

As the song goes "..Six Days on the Road and I'm gonna make it home tonight.."( Maybe with the Current OTP problems!)

$21 Hr is NOT a Liveable Wage in most Large Cities in this Country, hence OBS jobs go begging.

It's worth noting that in addition to the wage, Amtrak jobs come with a much more generous benefits package than most employers offer entry level workers these days.

 

[Bob Dylan]

It's worth noting that in addition to the wage, Amtrak jobs come with a much more generous benefits package than most employers offer entry level workers these days.

Depends on where you Live and what you do.

Most Government Jobs, which used to be notorious for Low Wages, but always had Great Benefits, now pay entry Level Workers well and as you advance in your Career, you can make a Comfortable Living with Great Benefits including Insurance and a nice Retirement.( including myself in this, I started my Government Career @ $400 a Month and Retired with a Salary of $85,000 a yea, plus I have excellent Insurance Paid by the Gov,Medicare, Retirement and Social Security.)

Here in Austin ( a Blue Dot surrounded by a Sea of Red) even Partime Jobs are offering starting pay of $18-$22 an Hour and many have Insurance,Sick Leave and Holiday Pay
as well.

There's a reason Unions seem to be making a Comeback in lots of Employmemt Sectors, mostly to do with Wages and Working Conditions needing improvement.

Personally the only job I would want on Passenger Trains is Engineer( which has the added benefit of paying the most!)

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

According to the Rail Passengers Association’s latest “hotline,” Amtrak is still having a hard time hiring suitable people to fill mechanical department vacancies. New hires are flunking drug tests or lack the basic skills (i.e. being able to read manuals or do simple arithmetic) needed to maintain the equipment. Until this situation starts to turn itself around, fewer cars will be available and reservations will continue to be downgraded or cancelled outright.

Basic skills need to be refreshed every once in a while. The math class that helps me today was accounting, I don’t remember how to do fractions without a quick refresher, even though that was a critical skill when I was working medical. If Amtrak is in-house training then is important to have math test, and bring everyone to the same level before start to teach the job. Common sense. People are very capable, but sometimes you forget the “how to do it.”

 

[OBS]

It's worth noting that in addition to the wage, Amtrak jobs come with a much more generous benefits package than most employers offer entry level workers these days.

This is true of some Amtrak Jobs more than others...

 

[Nance]

New Article

https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/new...ew-job-positions-across-the-board/ar-AA10W81F