Eastern Railroad Discussion > 52 Laid off at CSX HQ in Jax, Fl.

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/story/news/local/2015/01/27/csx-layoffs-jacksonville/22416813/

Ed Stewart
Jacksonville, FL



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/27/15 15:07 by calsubd.

"CSX cites a sharp reduction in coal shipments as part of a "changing business environment" that led to the reductions.
The employees are receiving severance packages and career counseling,"

so all 300+ employees had coal related positions ...

Posted from Android

Meh. Coal's time is past. The railroads can only benefit in the long term from weaning themselves off of a dead industry now.

As for these layoffs, a lot of it has to do with CSX's insufferable obsession with cost-cutting. Their long-term goal is to reach an operating ratio of 65%... the "drive to 65". This is part of that.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/27/15 16:35 by Totallamer.

i agree coal is like steam loco's they served a purpose, but time to change.

i agree coal is like steam loco's they served a purpose, but time to change.


Really? 50% of the US electricity is generated by coal. No one wants nuclear, oil, gas, and we have limited hydro in this country. So, what is going to replace 50% of our energy source? Please! Don’t tell me wind and solar. Do the math.

With CSX, I have to ask who wants to work in the coal department where the business is shrinking, and the blood is on the wall?

HardYellow Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> i agree coal is like steam loco's they served a
> purpose, but time to change.
>
>
> Really? 50% of the US electricity is generated by
> coal. No one wants nuclear, oil, gas, and we have
> limited hydro in this country. So, what is going
> to replace 50% of our energy source? Please!
> Don’t tell me wind and solar. Do the math.

No one wants gas? What world are you living in? I feel like every other day there's some news item about Duke Power or whomever building yet ANOTHER new natural gas power plant. I think more than anything, it's rock-bottom natural gas prices that's -really- killing coal.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/27/15 16:55 by Totallamer.

"Drive to 65”.. This must be why CS is not paying ANY penalty claims to operating employees. I have a conductor friend in Alabama. He is regular on a pool to Atlanta. Last month he worked a “Roster Call” as an engineer, only made a dog catch. Naturally, he should be paid his lost conductor round trip to Atlanta, at least the difference in earnings. Jacksonville told him, they only have to pay him the dog catch as an engineer, 8 hours. I guess the BLE let’s CSX get away with this.

Totallamer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> HardYellow Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > i agree coal is like steam loco's they served a
> > purpose, but time to change.
> >
> >
> > Really? 50% of the US electricity is generated
> by
> > coal. No one wants nuclear, oil, gas, and we
> have
> > limited hydro in this country. So, what is
> going
> > to replace 50% of our energy source? Please!
> > Don’t tell me wind and solar. Do the math.
>
> No one wants gas? What world are you living in?
> I feel like every other day there's some news item
> about Duke Power or whomever building yet ANOTHER
> new natural gas power plant. I think more than
> anything, it's rock-bottom natural gas prices
> that's -really- killing coal.

Rock bottom prices and the EPA's squeeze on older, smaller coal fired plants.

Spectra is building a pair of new pipes specifically to bring more natural gas to the Carolinas. They could probably have done three up front. MA and RI have finally agreed to allow new gas pipes after stalling for a decade, while natural gas prices to the home owner are going through the roof.

HardYellow Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> "Drive to 65”.. This must be why CS is not
> paying ANY penalty claims to operating employees.
> I have a conductor friend in Alabama. He is
> regular on a pool to Atlanta. Last month he worked
> a “Roster Call” as an engineer, only made a
> dog catch. Naturally, he should be paid his lost
> conductor round trip to Atlanta, at least the
> difference in earnings. Jacksonville told him,
> they only have to pay him the dog catch as an
> engineer, 8 hours. I guess the BLE let’s CSX
> get away with this.


NS doesn't pay claims either that are legit, I was working a mail train this is out of line start (starts before all other jobs) job is mail train only, not do whatever is needed, strictly mail. Well the mail was annulled one day so trainmaster has us take a different train to a different railroad, since that's not our job they have to revert our time back to the latest starting 3rd shift job which was 6 hours 31 minutes earlier than my job started.... THIS IS IN THE CONTRACT.... they deny my claim and every other claim with this reason code "there is no provision in your agreement that entitles you to this claim, therefore your claim is denied" I f*cking hate this place!!!!

Posted from Android

It's the same way CSX does things. Why bother paying anything up front if you can just let bills go into collections and then settle for 50% in arbitration later? That's CSX's modus operandi for paying hotels where crews stay.

If they can cut that many jobs at one time tells me they shouldn't have been hired in the first place! Creating unnecessary jobs for friends and family is nothing new. This has been going on since before I hired on but the only difference is the cuts are towards the top instead of T&E.

espeefan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If they can cut that many jobs at one time tells
> me they shouldn't have been hired in the first
> place! Creating unnecessary jobs for friends and
> family is nothing new. This has been going on
> since before I hired on but the only difference is
> the cuts are towards the top instead of T&E.

Many companies work like that. But some don't.

Early in my career I worked for a company where they laid off the "bottom 10%" every year. Ruthless, run lean, and exceptionally profitable.

People worked hard, there were always new people / cannon fodder coming in. But they paid very well. Dopes, relatives, didn't last long. You were reviewed against everybody else in your grade level, and all the managers signed off on every review. Tough to hide incompetent employees.

In many big companies, there's an incentive toward building bigger and bigger departments. Not producing more and more revenue with fewer resources. The incentive goes the wrong way.

HardYellow Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> "Drive to 65”.. This must be why CS is not
> paying ANY penalty claims to operating employees.
> I have a conductor friend in Alabama. He is
> regular on a pool to Atlanta. Last month he worked
> a “Roster Call” as an engineer, only made a
> dog catch. Naturally, he should be paid his lost
> conductor round trip to Atlanta, at least the
> difference in earnings. Jacksonville told him,
> they only have to pay him the dog catch as an
> engineer, 8 hours. I guess the BLE let’s CSX
> get away with this.

They've been doing that for years. When I was a new hogger in 2000, I couldn't hold a engineer job so I went back on the ground. I worked the Willard to Chicago pool as a conductor. They would always call me when I was first out to work a short pool job for less money! I was always told by both company and union I wasn't entitled to defference in pay! Talk about being PISSED OFF! If the caller gets gets an engineer on the phone whether regular or cut back, you have to go. I started letting the answering machine take the call. Then I checked the computer train line up to see what I was being called for. If it wasn't to Chicago I didn't call back. Under union contract I didn't have to protect jobs off my assignment as a conductor if I don't answer the phone.

It seems logical to me that if your going to switch from coal to natural gas there are going to be a number of layoffs on the railroads. Once you've constructed your pipeline it requires very little care. Perhaps a handful of employees.

As far as wind or solar power, you'll always have a Fossil fuel plant to back it up. No one wants to be left in the dark because the wind is not blowing or the sun is not strong enough. Every rate payer will pay for this redundant power wether you use it or not. In California we already do. Solar/wind power costs about 6 times more then Hydo and about double natural gas. The big issue with Natural gas is when rates go home it will not only effect your Electric rates but also your heat and hot water.

Valleyman

HardYellow, your energy numbers are off and your information is outdated. Only 39% of US energy is from coal. While total fossil fuel power generation is only 67%. I too, remember the days when coal was 50% of US power generation. Time marches on, and industries and markets evolve.

I believe Totallamer has it right: rock bottom natural gas prices are what's really killing coal. Good old free market forces, that the free traders love to espouse about being oh so pure and wonderful....



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/27/15 19:50 by moltensulphur.

Just wait till they get everybody Hooked on Natural Gas and then they are going to stick it to us. Just wait, it will happen, and probably at the most inopportune time!

moltensulphur Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> HardYellow, your energy numbers are off and your
> information is outdated. Only 39% of US energy is
> from coal. While total fossil fuel power
> generation is only 67%. I too, remember the days
> when coal was 50% of US power generation. Time
> marches on, and industries and markets evolve.
>
> I believe Totallamer has it right: rock bottom
> natural gas prices are what's really killing coal.
> Good old free market forces, that the free traders
> love to espouse about being oh so pure and
> wonderful....


Many utility companies are hedging their bets by keeping some modern coal fired plants in mothball status, Ready to fire up as needed, esp when gas prices start to rise.

Many home owners were badly burned with the switch to competitive electric / gas providers. These providers bought electric etc on the spot market, so they could pitch extremely low rates compared to anyone who had higher, long term contracts. When spot prices went through the roof, the competitive electric provider's rates went right along.

With the situation with Europe and Russia, I would worry that the Russians would cut them off from their gas supply with the rest of the world, including us, filling in the gap and consequently lowering the supply and increasing the price.

HardYellow, your energy numbers are off and your information is outdated. Only 39% of US energy is from coal.


You’re right, 39%...I stand corrected. Did you notice solar and wind were about 4% ? That is, when the sun is shinning and the wind is blowing.