In a message dated 3/28/2001 10:24:10 PM Central Standard Time,
qutlx1@a... writes:
> Can anyone shed any further light on whether this was fact or
>
Leo -
As I recall, prior to merger (3/70), there were about 7 engineman and 6
trainman turns in the C&I Pool. Post merger, the number of turns jumped to
the 20's. When reviewing an Aurora Division engineer seniority roster, there
is a huge gap in DOH's - 1954 - 1967 due to the stupid decision in PLB? Award
282, when all fireman with less than 10 years of seniority, were severed
(Karl, step right in here). A few "firemen" were hired in 1966 for summer
relief work (mostly "officals" kids who were going to college) but then
furloughed. In 1967, 4 were hired and stayed; in 1968 only one (KLR) was
hired, the year the BN merger failed due to lack of "employee protection".
"Employee Protection" worried the "Q" management in that they did not want to
excessively guarantee pre-merger employees but they realized there would
eventually be an increase in business, especially on the C&I. Due to the
fact that the only method of training engineers (at that time and the
previous 150 years) was through the craft of "fireman" by the tried and true,
osmosis method. The "Q's" minimum requirement for promotion to locomotive
engineer, was 2 years experience as a "fireman". In 1969, approximately 25
firemen were hired at Aurora (yours truly in that group) in anticipation of
the need for more engineers, due to the merger. Chief Dispatcher Ray
Molitor's son, Marty, was the last "Q" fireman hired (and protected) fireman
at Aurora. After merger in March, 1970, the new BN went ape hiring in all
crafts (both operating and non-operating departments), with no merger
protection. Any subsequent downturn in business would result in furloughing
down to the "last CB&Q man hired" on their respective seniority rosters,
regardless how bad business may have been.
Comment on the 1964 Award 282 - when I became RFof E @ Pasco, WA in 1979, I
found it interesting to note that the GN and the SP&S when they "furloughed"
their firemen, they hired all of them back, the next day! All rosters
(except the "Q's" Chicago Division) showed no firemen hired between 1954 and
1964. The NP firemen fared about the same as the CB&Q firemen, with
"careful" hiring, so as not to overly protect too many employees. Nepotism
in railroading was a tradition, and no RR practiced it better than the SP&S
and GN (in that order). Interesting to find high ranking officials with
relatives in the "ranks" and cause for concern in disciplinary matters.
Enough of this epistle.
RC
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