NS, CN, and KCS hiring conductors

[markfj]

This is encouraging news for the industry and hopefully a sign that the economy in general is starting to return to some degree of normalcy. However, I suspect they will have a much difficulty finding qualified candidates to fill the openings as any other industry right now.

NS, CN, and KCS are hiring conductors to meet rising traffic demand

Also, I watch this video produced by CSX last night:

A Day in the Life: CSX Freight Conductor

I actually read most of the comments first before watching the video. A conductor’s job is not something that would appeal to me, but maybe some would like it (for a little while at least).

What do the railroad workers on this forum think? If you had to start your working life over again would you sign on as conductor with one of these roads or look for a job in another industry?

Thanks, Mark

[nsc39d8]

I learned from a friend that works for NS that they let 4500 employees go during the past year. Coupled with PSR they did not need them as train size increased and there are less trains.
Now with the upturn in traffic they are hurting! He was called to duty and boarded his train and sat 13 hours and never moved plus He was called for a time freight! He stated that the yard are full
and so are sidings so his train never moved. Think too, that during this time he can not look at his smart phone, a computer or read a book or newspaper, just sit and watch the signal.

There was something mentioned somewhere that the NS CEO dumped 90000 shares of stock in the past month as well, hint, hint!

[markfj]

Are the container trains that we hear are sitting at ports waiting for train crews to move them or dock workers to unload/load them? Or is it a shortage of workers on both sides?

If I had to guess, I would say many companies and large corporations are still trying to figure out the right number of employees to have in the post-pandemic economy. There will be a surge of activity, I think we’re in that phase now, but a downturn is coming due to hyperinflation.

So I see employee numbers increasing, then another decrease, and then stabilization until the mid-term election in 2022.

Mark

[fr8kar]

Jun 23, 2021 3:55:53 GMT -8 markfj said:

What do the railroad workers on this forum think?

Good luck to these companies. Hopefully their prospective employees don't talk to any current employees.

If you had to start your working life over again would you sign on as conductor with one of these roads or look for a job in another industry?

Thanks, Mark

Another industry.

Assuming I'm 48 and starting at the bottom of a seniority roster, hell no. I'll start off doing something else.

If I was a young man and had my life ahead of me again, I might be interested, but without a wife who needs great health insurance I'd probably not tolerate the nonsense very long. I've stayed because of the sunk cost and need for benefits for my wife. I love trains and at times the crap disappears for a few moments and you can really just enjoy running a train. But something always comes up to ruin the moment.

On top of that we haven't had a raise in years. And there's no chance of one either, since the carrier is not interested in a new contract that involves the existing crew consist. They will wait it out until the last pre-85 people are gone or can be bought out before they will negotiate a contract. Meanwhile we operate under the terms of the expired contract. So while everyone else gets raises year over year during the hyperinflation my buying power will continue to decline.