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I overheard an Amtrak employee saying that CEO Gunn visited the Chicago maintenance yard recently at 2:00 am and found several employees sleeping. Gunn fired them on the spot, so the story goes. Any truth here?
Perhaps a companion story -- train 27 left Chicago on 6/18 with all sleeper bathrooms not working (car 32043). I'm not sure if Portland maintenance can fix that type of problem, and I'm wondering if it returned to Chicago on 6/20 in the same condition.
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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Let us be mindful that Mr. Gunn cannot unilaterally "fire" an employee covered by Agreement ("in the Union"), however, he may well have directed that employee be "held from service pending investigation'. After the investigation and "fair and impartial" hearing for violation of General Rule apperatining to "Sleeping or assuming the position of sleep", the employee may be assessed discipline, which could include dismissal. That discipline could be appealed first on (with the Director of Labor Relations), as well as off the property (Public Law Board); at either level that discipline could be upheld or overturned. "On the property", the discipline could also be reduced i.e. dismissal to XX days suspension"; with the Board, it is either "up or down".
So, take it from one who spend some of his eleven year railroad career in Labor RElations; it's not handled quite like a kid goofing off at Mickey D's.
[This message has been edited by Gilbert B Norman (edited 06-24-2003).]
irishchieftain Member # 1473
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Also note that what applies to union members does not apply to non-union (i.e. management); Mr. Gunn can say "clean out your desk" and the person has to be outta here that day or the next.
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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Truth, but not quite the whole truth, Mr. Helfner--
I virtually all liklihood, even if Gunn caught a General Foreman "sleeping or assuming the position of sleep", he likely had "seniority rights" in one craft or another that he was free to exercise ("bump").
But lest we forget, a phrase I heard during my years on the rails was "If you bid on a job, you have 30 days to qualify, if you bump, maybe with luck you will have 8 hours."
MPALMER Member # 125
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This is informative to me since I don't work with this stuff.
But what does that say about the integrity of these workers, if a worker caught sleeping fights the charges through the union rather than acknowleging their mistake and trying to correct their behavior.
foamer13 Member # 2024
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For an Amtrak employee sleeping on the job story, see the reply I made to the topic posted on 6/23 entitled "Seven days on the Zepyr". I'm too lazy to type it again.
foamer13 Member # 2024
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ZEPHYR! Sorry...
irishchieftain Member # 1473
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Indeed, when it comes to bumping, it's not as easy. Most would probably take a resignation and move right into another job, landing on their feet, which is absurd since they'd be probably doing the same amount of nothing at their new job as they did with Amtrak...
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