I would like to add my .02 from a point of view as a student of politics (I got hooked with the 1956 conventions being televised) and a former Amtrak employee from the Nixon era to the Obama Administration.
First of all Nixon would not be able to call himself a republican today he was far too liberal for todays GOP. Even with a view of a short life Amtrak was able to attract some very good management in its infancy.
Under Ford and Carter Amtrak did grow and ordered and received new equipment, converted to HEP, tried some experimentation with High-Speed Rail Equipment IE TMT turbotrains and RTG & RTL Turboliners, expanded service and tried to maintain most of the original routes that were run on Amtrak day one. (May 1, 1971) Ford even used a campaign train in Michigan in 1976. The company took over the former PennCentral mechanical facilities and employees and labor relations were at least cordial and polite, not friendly but able to handle disputes and negotiate in good faith.
It is my opinion that Amtrak may have taken too big a bite and had to retreat in 1979 with reduction in service and forces maybe this was an omen of the times to come as the political winds were shifting to the right.
The election of Reagan was a dire point in time for Amtrak, the mechanical employees were forced to take a reduction of 12% when compared to the freight carriers mechanical employees. At the same time that craft employees had their wages reduce it was announced that management would take a DEFERRAL of the same proportion. Did this happen? No, it was also the time that management bonuses were established. This caused a great rift in employee management relations, As many of those employees are still with the company that may still be a factor in the attitude of some employees today. They trust nobody. The management union relationship faded greatly in this time frame (all unions seemed to be demonetized by some politicians) and the distrust extended to the unions who had their hands tied by the Railway Labor Act calling for the NMB to be involved and the NMB appointments were partisan and the board were very under funded bringing its actions to almost a halt.
This period of union-employee unrest continued in the mechanical department for the Reagan and Bush I administrations. The next craft employees contract took almost 11 years and resulted in a 3% raise while the cost of living rose almost 50%. Amtrak lost many great mechanical employees in this period and the equipment suffered from both fewer employees to service it and the talent drain.
The Clinton administration's attitude toward Amtrak was very different, Superliner II's and Viewliners came and a better view in negotiations prevailed and by 1999 wages were equal to the national freight carriers again. These were substantially lower than most commuter line wages but still an improvement the past. The NMB backlog was cut way down. This improvement was only temporary as the 2000 election brought in Bush II and the conditions deteriorated fast.
Bush II also underfunded the NMB and tried to stack the deck again. and again Amtrak stalled the negotiation process. This only ended In GWB's lame duck period when he appointed a Presidental Emergency Board to prevent a strike after almost 9 years of fruitless talks. Again the union presented a case that only asked for the equality with the freight carrier crafts and Amtrak made some outlandish demands (restricting the use of seniority among others). The PEB rejected all of Amtrak's demands for lack of justification and gave the unions just what they asked for. (On a side not the VP of Labor Relations for Amtrak ouickly retired.)
The Obama administration has seemed to be more Amtrak friendly. Most of us are aware that VP Biden was a commuter from Wilmington to DC when Congress was in session and as a senator had two mechanical facilities (Bear and Wilmington) and the National Operation and training center located ing his home state. The current Amtrak administration offered a contract proposal to all of the unions that some quickly accepted and others had to turn down when their membership did not ratify. Those that did not ratify are still currently in the process of meeting to find something that is aceptable to both sides.
I think that the current shift to the right is being very over publicized by the media.(who have more to gain from the right than the left) The few people are being exposed for their lack of common sense and very partisan views. Where were they when GWB took Clinton's surplus budget and spent like a drunken sailor for 8 years? Of the money spent on Defense budgets in the world the USA spends 49% of it and there always has been a history of "Black Budget" item that are not accounted for there. I think that the Chinese probably have the "titles" to almost all of the US Navy's supercarriers and half of the USAF aircraft. I wonder what we will do when they come to collect. That would make a great "Repo Man" show. At least we know they would not want Amtrak's equipment as it is took antiquated for their system!
I guess this is more than .02 worth, Alan B. please send the bill to the other Alan B.
Have a great time in St Louis, A 60th Anniversary in the family will keep me away, hope to make it next year!
