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[Windy City LSA]

Wow. I JUST got a call from a train manager in NOL. A personal invitation of sorts to come work there. I am aware that they're in need of help there and had considered it for a second. Guess I should give it some more serious thought. She even said I could likely hold a regular job as opposed to being on the Extra Board. She says they don't even have a LSA Extra Board right now.

Not sure if anyone here is aware of the state of things down there. I'm undecided if I want to relocate...even if only for a few months. I have to figure that out on my own. But if anybody here has an opinion, I'm listening. I'm going to call CMC for more details, most importantly whether or not they pay for whatever housing there may be there!

 

[trainboy325]

Norma Johnson or Karen Tyson? I'll tell you this. I had a good employment run with both of them. You'll love Karen. Norma is another story, but I mentioned her earlier when you began writing on this forum. Housing stock is low, but available within two hours drive every direction except towards Mississippi. Many NOL workers live in Baton Rouge, Lafayette and on the North Shore of Lake Pontertrain (Hammond, Covington, Mandeville, Slidell, etc.). Easy drive into the cities from all three bridges from the north and through Morgan City if you have to live in Acadiana (Lafayette, New Iberia, etc.) via US 90. Send my a private message if you've got questions. The station agent in Hammond, Craig Carter, is a great guy who gave me wonderful advice when I first moved to NOL and remain good friends with him with his fantasic advice for someone in my shoes.

 

[daveyb99]

You are on furlough and Amtrak has given you the opportunity to return to work. Instead of asking if they will pay your housing in NOL, I would be asking what are the implications of turning down the offer.

 

[Windy City LSA]

You are on furlough and Amtrak has given you the opportunity to return to work.    Instead of asking if they will pay your housing in NOL, I would be asking what are the implications of turning down the offer.

Implications? I am not obligated to go anywhere. It's voulntary. Could any employer threaten you with termination or lesser punishemnt if you refuse to pick up and move to a new city?? Maybe if it were a small company. I was also told that my home crew base could call me during furlough in an emergency and I am not obligated to say yes to a job. I am also on the no fly list. They can't force you to fly. I want to work, but I'm also realistic. If I am going to move for a few months, pay for housing, and possibly have to commute for hours to get to work due to lack of housing, it's a no-brainer for me. I'm not going to work only to cover my expenses in a strange city. That would be ludicrous. I will find out more details tomorrow so my speculation can end.

 

[trainboy325]

I'd suggest that you take a trip on the City down to NOL, check out the crew base and see what you like. You'll meet the crews in NOL while on the train, get a feel of what they think, as I now live about 5 hours away from NOL and moving to Arizona very soon with my new Park Service/Amtrak Trails & Rails job (Goodbye OBS!, hello passenger services! )

Of course your not obligated to do anything other than wait for recall in CHI, but I'd really suggest looking at the possibility working somewhere else. That's how I got to NOL and found it to be a personal growing experience that has given me the courage to "move away" from Florida to a "strange city". Within six months of taking the initial post-Katrina furlough, I got a federal job with Amtrak travel benefits in Arizona.

With everything up in the air about the future of the OBS component of Amtrak this year, you'd be in the good graces of those who can make "things happen" when the national seniority roster comes crashing down. If you don't like it, well at least you'll get to participate in a Mardi Gras parade while in town.

I have to warn you that the JAX crew base is closing on April 1st. MIA is losing about 100 regular jobs that day too with the start of Diner-lite on both 98/97 and 91/92. Right now those trains have crews of 10 to 11 people, that will drop to 7 on each, assuming both trains have two sleepers. MIA and JAX have dinosaurs, meaning that people with 10 to 15 years of seniority will be on the extraboard. Many with 10 years and less will be furloughed without a recall notice for Florida-based jobs for maybe 3 to 5 years, longer than you can keep employment with the company while on furlough. Many people I know in Florida wanting to keep their Amtrak jobs may take the furlough than move to NOL or elsewhere. This MAY strengthen your employment position during these times of uncertainty in the OBS craft jobs. You don't want to remain too long unemployed as it will effect your seniority roster date if you don't work the next six months. :unsure:

 

[Windy City LSA]

I'd suggest that you take a trip on the City down to NOL, check out the crew base and see what you like. You'll meet the crews in NOL while on the train, get a feel of what they think, as I now live about 5 hours away from NOL and moving to Arizona very soon with my new Park Service/Amtrak Trails & Rails job (Goodbye OBS!, hello passenger services!   )
Of course your not obligated to do anything other than wait for recall in CHI, but I'd really suggest looking at the possibility working somewhere else. That's how I got to NOL and found it to be a personal growing experience that has given me the courage to "move away" from Florida to a "strange city". Within six months of taking the initial post-Katrina furlough, I got a federal job with Amtrak travel benefits in Arizona.

Thanks again for the advice. Taking a trip there soon seems like a great idea. I know from my furlough letter that I have to commit to a move by the 11th, and I'd have to report for work within 30 days of the furlough. So I need to shake a leg and make a decision! Not too excited at the idea of spending time down there alone, especially during Mardi Gras being a female. Not only have I never been there, but from what I understand, there is still much devastaion down there. I have no clue about places to stay among other things. But maybe I could have a personal growing experience such as you did!

 

[trainboy325]

Well look at it this way. You'll be in NOL until the recalls come in CHI. If you get "stuck" in NOL because you get moved onto the NOL seniority roster, you can immediately request with CMC after moving to NOL a "hardship transfer" back to CHI. The secret is that within one week of taking a job in another crew base, be sure to immediately put a hardship transfer request for CHI in writing to both CMC and your crew base manager in CHI. If Jim is still the crew base manager in CHI, he'll have your back since he came from NOL right around November 2005. Good luck!

NOL is like any other major port city. Just be cautious. The city is full of younger people, especially women with all the schools and colleges. I know the name of a excellent landlord who has a few apartments in the Garden District. With schools reopening on NOL, they may already be gone, but you should check it out anyway. Just send me a private message and I'll give you the name and number.

 

[trainboy325]

I forgot to add this possible senario. If a proposed plan that's been in the works for years now includes the concept of a three LD crew base system: LAX, CHI and NYP. These three crew bases can cover all the existing LD routes and reduce management layers at such places as MIA, NOL and SEA. It's possible that a move to NOL would be short lived if the NOL crew base were to be closed on April 1st as JAX. Both JAX and NOL have been targeted for years for closing.

Also look into the option of reverse lodging. With the food service jobs being 3 on/2 off. You may be able to work out a plan that includes two nights in NOL at the hotel (Holiday Inn-Superdome) and at your home in CHI. This is something they may except with a shortage of labor. Also, it is used extensively in the T&E crafts. Just something for them to consider while you wait for your return to CHI if they can offer you a "temporary" transfer versus an outright Rule 7 crew base relocation. <_<

 

[daveyb99]

You are on furlough and Amtrak has given you the opportunity to return to work.    Instead of asking if they will pay your housing in NOL, I would be asking what are the implications of turning down the offer.

You missed my point. I have never been furloughed, so do not know the legalities of such an action. Therefore I asked: if the company that furloughed you makes you an offer of work, and you decline (for what ever reason), does that have implications? What does your Union contract say as well.....

Good Luck. New Orleans is a fun place.......

 

[trainboy325]

The implications of an ASWC worker furloughed that does not except a position in another crew base within 30 days after receiving the furlough letter is possible loss of employment if you don't recalled within six months. You are out of the work pool from any crew base until you get a recall letter from the crew base you got furloughed from. In the case of Amtrak, you loose your employment and benefits six months and a day after the Rule 7 transfer period (30 day decision time) expires. Hence, this is my reason for encouraging any employee who is furloughed to take another crew base if they wish to maintain their long-term employment with the railroad. I my case, I took the furlough because I was actively seeking another career option and in my case it worked out before I lost my benefits under the six month and a day rule. Moving to another crew base is especially important if you don't know the situation regarding the future of OBS jobs on trains staffed by your crew base very well.

Many furloughs are seasonal and don't need to be worried about, but with Windy City's less than one year seniority date, it would be prudent to protect her employment with Amtrak so early in her career. It's just a gamble you take you if take the furlough recall doesn't happen in time. :unsure: