Western Railroad Discussion > BNSF

What will happen if BNSF employees go on strike? Will trains be less likely?

Posted from iPhone

I’m scratching my head on this one.

Posted from iPhone

How likely is a strike and if it does happen, how does the RR continue to operate with little to no man power ?

Posted from iPhone

Such operation is illegal in many states so now we get the state's rights and safety aspects vs the interstate commerce
clause and a bigger shortage of popcorn.

Out 

In short, nothing will move.

Ross_Dekay Wrote:
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> How likely is a strike and if it does happen, how
> does the RR continue to operate with little to no
> man power ?
>
> Posted from iPhone

In the now kinda distant past when there have been strikes, railroad managers would be the ones operating the trains. But that is when managers came up from the ranks. Wonder how many managers are still certified to be a engineer or conductors these days?

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

Well on the UP it would be the MOPs that don't exist anymore, don't think the road foreman jobs on BNSF are much better.

Out 

Every time the operating crafts struck when I was working "supervisors" ran a few trains that were priority, and some yard engines.

Posted from Android

callum_out Wrote:
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> Well on the UP it would be the MOPs that don't
> exist anymore, don't think the road foreman jobs
> on BNSF are much better.

RFE's on BNSF are pretty much gone too. 

Under the Railway Labor Act, unions are not permitted to strike until they have exhausted all the resolution processes set forth in the law.  If they do try to strike before they have done so, the courts can order them back to work.

mpe383 Wrote:
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> Under the Railway Labor Act, unions are not
> permitted to strike until they have exhausted all
> the resolution processes set forth in the law.
>  If they do try to strike before they have done
> so, the courts can order them back to work.

BNSF has repeatedly refused to enter into negotiations with the unions on an attendance policy. That is the premise of the request to authorize a strike. There is no "resolution process" if the carrier refuses to even come to the table. See the letter in this thread...

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,5400280

It’s doubtful the strike will last long, that’s why BNSF is just sitting back and waiting. We’re talking 3 days at the absolute maximum. I think the biggest thing the unions would gain would be to force the railroad to negotiate about it, because so far it’s a “policy” and they can do whatever they want.

The railroad is going full CNN on their publicity already, telling people it’s to give employees “more flexibility”. How going from 7 unrestricted days off every month to having to work 3 months straight with no time off at all ever to pay for the sin of taking 7 days off in a month improves flexibility is beyond me… unless we’re talking about the flexibility one will have when they get fired and no longer work under such conditions.

Posted from iPhone

There will be very little traffic moving through a possible work stoppage. Not enough management  staff to make a go of it. Priority 8&9s would be it, w/ a small number of leftovers. Layoff regulations are part of the national schedule, article 30-31. The policy, in place now, carrier wants workers to be marked up available 75% of any given month. No longer good enough for them, pushing it to basically 100% w/very litttle wiggle room on what could take effect in a couple weeks
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/15/22 08:42 by sfbrkmn.

handsignals Wrote:
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> The railroad is going full CNN on their publicity
> already...

LOL. Yes, they are.

funnelfan Wrote:
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> In the now kinda distant past when there have been
> strikes, railroad managers would be the ones
> operating the trains. But that is when managers
> came up from the ranks. Wonder how many managers
> are still certified to be a engineer or conductors
> these days?

BN had a practice of "promoting" the willing ignorant to management positions as soon as they were beyond the probation period so that they would have a supply of "legal" strikebreakers. It was comical to watch, actually. My favorite was the "manager" who burned out the Ballard Bridge motor for raising the bridge by trying to raise the bridge without unlocking it, and increasing power when it wasn't moving. Periodically, "managers" would manage to run over motorcars, drive into the wrong track and be unable to back up, and run into stuff.

Back to the future.

TAW