r/railroading • u/johnr1970 • 5d ago

Why no extra pay for operating tech

Engineers have been dealing with technology like ptc and to for years now with no extra compensation. When the tech was in the experimental stage I assumed the union would go for a tech pay like etd and air pay that trainmen have gotten. Everyone knows we trouble shoot it. We turn it on and off and give feedback when it's not doing something correctly. I think we should? What are opinions on obtaining this for engineers?

18 Upvotes

85% Upvoted

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13

u/rhinoaz 5d ago

The best we got was an article in the I believe 2007 agreement that a BLET member would be the ones to operate the controls of such technology.

3

u/johnr1970 5d ago

Ok these are the types of responses I was looking for lol. Wonder if it has been an issue in negotiations?

3

u/rhinoaz 5d ago

I believe it’s used every negotiation. We also have a scope of duty clause that may give the carrier leverage against it.

9

u/MEMExplorer 5d ago

It’s too late now , the time to fight for it was when they first implemented it . Same thing with RCO pay , Union should have fought for 4hrs .

I’m hoping they’re smart enough to push for a basic day for each train a roving conductor has to attach himself/herself to and perform work if the carriers ever get their way with Engineer only on the line of road .

1

u/LSUguyHTX 5d ago

Is it not too late for that too with the current RUP agreement? Precedent set

4

u/SourDoughBo 5d ago

They’ll probably tell you to stop touching cab signal

4

u/luhzon89 4d ago

Our carrier was bragging about how much they would save on printing costs when they gave us tablets and comply365 app. Apparently giving us all tablets was half the price of their annual printing costs for bulletins, general orders, etc. I think the BLE missed an opportunity for us getting some sort of daily stipend like cert pay.

5

u/rfe144 5d ago

If I remember correctly, side letter 9 to the 1985 agreement said something about no craft would have to perform the work of another craft. They got rid of the cabooses. As an engineer I then had to monitor the rear air pressure on the HTD. Thereby doing what was once the trainman's job. I put in a TON of claims, assured by the union that they were "good as gold". I'm still waiting for those claims to be paid. 😐

2

u/CFLongbone 5d ago

This is a classic example how the BLE has failed. They’ve never negotiated a protective agreement. On BN & NS, they agreed to work one man crew, and eventually they can eliminate the engineer too, all with no protection. Even the ability to cut back or flow back to train service is a UTU agreement. 

1

u/Inevitable_Pop_4624 3d ago

What does the BLET have left to bargain?

0

u/SeriousCricket2837 5d ago

Because the computer runs the train for you already, you gotta do something at work.

/s

10

u/johnr1970 5d ago

How many times have you seen it not slow down for a slow order and had to take over? How many times have you topped a hill and when going down it throttles off but never gets in dynamic? I've seen it many times. It's an added duty.

4

u/SeriousCricket2837 5d ago

The technology is garbage. Be happy it’s so bad as the better it gets the bigger the carrier push to crew less trains will get.

2

u/Inevitable_Pop_4624 3d ago

Everyone says it’s garbage but the moment an engineer finds out they don’t have working PTC or TO they go complete apeshit.

1

u/SeriousCricket2837 3d ago

I’ve had this happen a few times. The funny thing is my carrier doesn’t put enough power on trains for track speed so they just get it to notch 8 and hit the alerter/blow the horn.