Railroaders' Nostalgia > Seniority

I posted this topic on the N&H board.But I
think some of you might findit amusing.

Uncle Joe
Seffner,Fl.

Seniority can be confusing. The Northern Pacific (excluding the St. Paul GOB) had two types of seniority for clerks. A "Class A" clerk was a freight office worker, train and switchman caller, yard clerk or similar position. I was a yard clerk so I only had Class A seniority. To really confuse you, a engine call boy, refrigerator car inspector, and freight house warehouseman had Class B seniority. Sometimes a Class B clerk got a Class A seniority by bidding a Class A job. My Class A seniority was 04 13 1966. I started on the NP in April, 1966 and received my date by biding on a crappy relief job to get my seniority date. I retired from the BNSF in August, 2004 with 38 years.

Ed Burns