Western Railroad Discussion > BNSF Offers Incentive Pay!

BNSF has made an agreement with the BLET and UTU to pay conductors and engineers $100.00 a weekend day for staying marked up and available for duty.
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday are considered weekend days on the BNSF. BNSF is also paying $100.00 per each railroad holiday for staying marked up for duty. This agreement is good thru January 2014. The Santa Fe lines are not included in this agreement.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/13/13 13:35 by bnsfengineer.

Looks like they're trying to move freight on the northern lines, this agreement only applies on former CB&Q, GN, NP, SP&S, and C&S territories. Doesn't apply to former Santa Fe and Frisco property.

Milw_E70 Wrote:
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> Looks like they're trying to move freight on the
> northern lines, this agreement only applies on
> former CB&Q, GN, NP, SP&S, and C&S territories.
> Doesn't apply to former Santa Fe and Frisco
> property.


This is true. Sorry Santa Fe.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/13/13 13:34 by bnsfengineer.

They did this a few years ago when we were hurting for people. I stay marked up weekends anyway because unlike most people I said I would when I hired out. That and I like $$$. Too bad it's not retroactive lol.

bnsfengineer Wrote:
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> Milw_E70 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Looks like they're trying to move freight on
> the
> > northern lines, this agreement only applies on
> > former CB&Q, GN, NP, SP&S, and C&S territories.
> > Doesn't apply to former Santa Fe and Frisco
> > property.
>
>
> This is true. Sorry Santa Fe.

Heck yes the BNSF mgmnt is attempting to move freight over the Northern lines. And finally, since they are up against the traffic wall (possible loss of UPS contract and others) they are now willing to open their wallet and pay the roadies what they are really worth... And don't feel sorry for the Santa Fe southerners. They are not the stepchildren of the BNSF.

An extra $1200 per month really adds up at the end of the year. Let's hope this gets the trains moving again. Weekend incentive pay is not uncommon in manufacturing industries it is about time the railroads gave it a try. I wonder how the railroads will try to sharpshoot the terms.

Posted from Windows Phone OS 7

fbe Wrote:
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> An extra $1200 per month really adds up at the end
> of the year. Let's hope this gets the trains
> moving again. Weekend incentive pay is not
> uncommon in manufacturing industries it is about
> time the railroads gave it a try. I wonder how the
> railroads will try to sharpshoot the terms.
>
> Posted from Windows Phone OS 7

That could fund a tidy do-it-yourself retirement package in a few years.

They tried this a few years ago and it worked great, except everyone layed off Tuesday through Thursday. It will be interesting to see how this works. I can see weekends being better but I know a lot of guys that won't work Xmas for a extra $100, even the yard guys make way more then that on a holiday.

GN599 Wrote:
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> They did this a few years ago when we were hurting
> for people. I stay marked up weekends anyway
> because unlike most people I said I would when I
> hired out. That and I like $$$. Too bad it's not
> retroactive

Good for you.

fbe Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> An extra $1200 per month really adds up at the end
> of the year. Let's hope this gets the trains
> moving again. Weekend incentive pay is not
> uncommon in manufacturing industries it is about
> time the railroads gave it a try. I wonder how the
> railroads will try to sharpshoot the terms.
>
> Posted from Windows Phone OS 7


Here's how. When Santa Fe first started paying Engineers for holidays, they would manipulate the call times to beat you out of it. Thanksgiving for example. You could get a basic days pay if you went on duty on Thanksgiving and/or the day after. I remember being put me on duty at 23:55 once, to avoid paying me for Thanksgiving, then waiting a couple of hours for my train to come in. It worked the other way too, laying over on one of the holidays, they would hold crews until after midnight to keep from paying. You had to actually begin your on duty on the holiday, it didn't count if you went on duty the day before and tied up on the holiday. Another time, I went on duty on Thanksgiving, got that one, and went on duty again on the day after, got that one too (I thought). When I got paid, they only paid me for one. I called timekeeping, and they said I didn't get both, just had a chance to hit one or the other. I protested it, gave it to my local chairman, and never did get paid for it. Turned out they were wrong, and they paid both after that. Our only holidays were/are Thanksgiving and the day after, Christmas eve and Christmas, and New Years Eve and new Years's day. Six in all. I would expect them to do the same with this new weekend agreement.

fbe Wrote:
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I wonder how the
> railroads will try to sharpshoot the terms.
>
> Posted from Windows Phone OS 7


By making the roadies stay marked up 24/7 for the entire half, or a revolving 30 day period! Once mgmnt gets enough trains moved you'll see more "fine print" or the end of the incentive pay completely...

fbe Wrote:
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> ... I wonder how the railroads will try to sharpshoot the terms.
>
> Posted from Windows Phone OS 7


I'll bet they'll claim the "incentive pay" is NOT in addition to any extra board guarantees and will use it to offset any guarantee due and thus screw the extra board people out of it; I can guarantee that's what UP would do as UP is a master of twisting agreements around to meet their own desires.

If it's not over and above extra board guarantee, they can have it!!!

Santa Fe

Gosh, and over here at the Wooden Axle Railroad (CSX) weekends are Thursday through Monday (So, tues-thurs are weekdays--sounds fun!) and the only thing you get for staying marked up on weekends is NO attendance letters. If you mark off one "weekend" day in any 4 week rolling period, you are charged with absenteeism...
They'd absolutely defecate themselves if this idea came up at OUR little backwater railroad, but kudos to BNSF for trying something new for now.

DrLoco Wrote:
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> Gosh, and over here at the Wooden Axle Railroad
> (CSX) weekends are Thursday through Monday (So,
> tues-thurs are weekdays--sounds fun!) and the only
> thing you get for staying marked up on weekends is
> NO attendance letters. If you mark off one
> "weekend" day in any 4 week rolling period, you
> are charged with absenteeism...
> They'd absolutely defecate themselves if this idea
> came up at OUR little backwater railroad, but
> kudos to BNSF for trying something new for now.


Tell it like it is! Knew I liked you...even when you got in front of my Q226 way back when.

Railbaron Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> fbe Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > ... I wonder how the railroads will try to
> sharpshoot the terms.
> >
> > Posted from Windows Phone OS 7
>
>
> I'll bet they'll claim the "incentive pay" is NOT
> in addition to any extra board guarantees and will
> use it to offset any guarantee due and thus screw
> the extra board people out of it; I can guarantee
> that's what UP would do as UP is a master of
> twisting agreements around to meet their own
> desires.

I'm amazed the unions wouldn't address that situation up front in the agreement. It's the company that wants the extra availability, so the union holds a lot of cards.

For "S & Gs" here's a copy of the BLET GN, NP, and SP&S agreement for your viewing pleasure...

---

two separate $100 payments if you're both signed up and called to work. In practice, a $600 bonus if you're called early in the cycle and twice more.

unless they decide you're not marked up while you're on rest for purposes of the "full calendar day" which would probably have people sit out the whole program

Pretty incredible, $100 per day for being available plus another $100 for the days you are called to work.

I see the railroads can cancel it any time with 5 days notice but the union must work under the agreement until the end of March before they can give notice.

I hope it works well.

Posted from Windows Phone OS 7

The part I'm happy to see is that it is right in the agreement that this payment will not offset guarantee or any other protective pay - that makes it a pretty good deal for everybody.