haolerider
Conductor
- Joined
- Apr 21, 2004
- Messages
- 1,436
Good Point!My original intention in beginning this thread was to learn what "work rules" had been identified as anachronistic and were legitimate issues to resolve. The tired excuses of the problems being either all management or all union really are not assisting me in understanding what work rules are anachronistic. The problems in the workplace are caused by BOTH management and union and will continue to be so until the human element is eliminated from both. There are certainly egregious examples of union extremism focusing solely on job protection and management extremism focusing solely on the bottom line (or profit) but there must be examples of absurd work rules that a dispassionate observation would identify as something that needs to be addressed. Would anyone be willing to identify some issues that either have been addressed or things that need to be addressed that would fit under the "work rules" category without bringing in the emotional union/management baggage?
I think one of the major changes would have to do with the ability of on-board staff to work all crafts as needed. The Auto Train is the best example of this, with all their on-board staff cross-trained to handle all jobs and cover the various crafts on as as-needed basis. At the present time on all other trains, the staff is not supposed to "help-out" in the dining car or anywhere else unless that is their assigned task. On many trains, the staff ignore this rule and you will see coach attendants and sleeping car attendants helping out in the dining car, but it is against the union work rules. This is only one example, but I am sure there are many others.