Western Railroad Discussion > In the mail: re Union Pacific Jobs

The first mail I've ever received from the UP...

link on the postcard is http://www.unionpacificjobs.com

Richard - San Leandro

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Why did you receive it? They knew you liked railroads or did you fill out a job application is the past?

Yeh, my wife got one of those. The U.P. wants her to be an engineer. She got quite a chuckle out of it. I wonder why I didn't get invited? ;-)

I don't know, but I do know that I just went to a UP hiring session and did not get picked. I passed the test of course, did the interview, but then go the message did not qualify on interview, on my application status report.

hobojaks Wrote:
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> I don't know, but I do know that I just went to a
> UP hiring session and did not get picked. I
> passed the test of course, did the interview, but
> then go the message did not qualify on interview,
> on my application status report.

Did you mention Trainorders on your references?

I am not sure there's anyone who did not get one of these...even had a lady at work bring me her husband's card...he's a Union plumber-type...as she knew I was interested in Railroads.

Five days later, I received my own personal post card. I feel special, now.

I didn't get one cause I'm already one of their minions.
The new slogan is, "They use us, and abuse us".
If you know what's good for you, get a job at Starbucks.
Starting October 1st it will get even worse regarding rules compliance.
They say if you violate the rules, it's automatically six months off.
If you have job insurance, you go on vacation. About one week before your eligible to return from work, you read up on the rules, take the cor-training test and go back to work for some more punishment.
And so on, and so on..........

sd60m Wrote:
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> I am not sure there's anyone who did not get one
> of these...

One of our neighbors, who happens to be a woman in her 80s, got one.

topper Wrote:
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> sd60m Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> > I am not sure there's anyone who did not get
> one
> > of these...
>
> One of our neighbors, who happens to be a woman in
> her 80s, got one.


Is she going to apply?

They did a mass mailing to all senior citizens... kinda like WalMart as a greeter. Next, they will send them to pre-schoolers.

Heard a radio commercial with about the same words a week or two ago. It was a Sacramento, CA station.

It sounded so patriotic I would have stood up and saluted had I not been driving down the freeway at the time...

Larry

Clueless in Omaha.

By the way, the mandatory 6 months off is FRA mandated... believe it or not.

GTW

Got a postcard in the mail to join them at Hinkle OR and heard the radio spot and like Larry thought I should have stood up and saluted. Something about doing a good days work and feeling proud of what you accomplished. I was thinking of the discussions of sitting in the siding for 12 hours and not going anywhere except back in the van to go home. ;)
Lynn (32 years seniority on the FD, I'm staying there)

Since when? The only FRA-mandated time off I've ever heard of is de-certification for engineers involved in the 5 deadly sins or as designated by the railroad. I was always under the impression de-cert was 30 days for 1st offense, 1 year for second, and 3 or 5(?) for third.

I find it hard to believe the FRA can mandate 6 months off for ANY rule violation. After all, as weak as our two unions have become, we do still have CBA's as well as a discipline "process" in place.

I guess I'd have to read any new FRA regs myself on this one to believe it's an across-the-board thing.

Soo Line Hoghead

P.S. Also, at work we've had no safety meetings, rules classes, GO's, or anything else I know of detailing any 10/1/06 changes of this nature concerning FRA-mandated discipline times. If there are changes, they're not telling our T&E people about them.



grandtrunk Wrote:
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> By the way, the mandatory 6 months off is FRA
> mandated... believe it or not.
>
> GTW

"Especially jobs our nation depends on"

Given the UP's close, and well documented ties to the ruling party, if enough Americans don't respond to this entreaty, should we expect the next mail communication from the UP start with....

Greetings from the President Of The United States...........

Uncle Pete wants YOU!

frcanyonsub Wrote:
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> hobojaks Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I don't know, but I do know that I just went to
> a
> > UP hiring session and did not get picked. I
> > passed the test of course, did the interview,
> but
> > then go the message did not qualify on
> interview,
> > on my application status report.
>
> Did you mention Trainorders on your references?


No did not say anything about train orders.

When they ask you "why do you want to work for Union Pacific"
what is the correct answer that gets you the job offer.

Having an AA degree in railroad technology alone does not get
you a job apparently. I don't think all that many people that
were applying at my hiring session had one.

Seems like the "right" guy, that never really thought about going
to work for the railroad, but hears a radio commercial, goes to the
web site and gets invited to a hiring session, and a couple of days
later is working for the railroad is getting picked over me.

One thing of interest is that about half of the hiring session walked
out after hearing the "scare talk" designed to run people off, and another
large group can't read well enough to answer the multiple choice questions
that I finished in 10 miniutes, and had to sit there for another 30 for
the test to be over.

Oh well maybe next time?

hobojaks Wrote:
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> One thing of interest is that about half of the
> hiring session walked
> out after hearing the "scare talk" designed to run
> people off, and another
> large group can't read well enough to answer the
> multiple choice questions
> that I finished in 10 miniutes, and had to sit
> there for another 30 for
> the test to be over.
>

It's been discussed here previously but the UP interview team needs to attend Dale Carnegie. They're condescending, even rude at times, not business like at all. I guess they figure if you respond well to this treatment, you will survive the continual screw-job that is part of railroad life.

And don't forget the "druggies" who get "weeded out" (no pun intended) at the interviews, which eliminates another third of the candidates...amazing how many folks also get dinged for their spelling as well - makes you wonder what they're teaching in school these days?

You'd think the UP (and the other hiring railroads) would have learned by now that folks are not all that interested in hiring out at 75% of wages, then having to slowly work their way up (over 5 years) to 100% money, but I guess they're not too concerned about it.