Railroaders' Nostalgia > Where you ever burned by your union brothers

I was working the road extra board at the time when my buddy called and said hey "put a hold down on my job, my brakeman is off for a few days" I told my buddy I can't but a hold down on your job it's and inside local. My buddy said just call CMS and see if you can get someone that doesn't know the agreement. So I did later that evening and I was placed on the job on duty at 0605. 

I work the job for a couple days, I liked the job I was able to hold it previously until I was rolled off. None of the extra guys liked it because you had to work industries off the mainline. The last day I worked it we get back around 1100 shove our train in the yard, then go to put our power away. As where putting our power away, my local chairmen rolls by on an inbound train. I tie up, and I'm rested around 2230 or so. I stayed up because hey I'm not going to work until 0605 when my phone rings at 2230 informing me I've been removed from my hold down ( I know it was an illegal hold down) I asked CMS who complained and they said your local chairmen called in to have you removed. 

I hang up, look at the extra board I'm second out and the only one rested. My local chairmen is first out and rested after 2300. So who got the call at 0015 for an all nighter you guessed it me. My local chairmen never said a word while passing us in the adjacent track, never called or texted say hey you should get your rest I'm going to take you off your hold down. What do you do lay-off first out and get penalized a day of guarantee and the one way earnings on a 215 mile run? Should I of put a hold down on the job probably not, but knowing my phone wasn't going to ring in the middle of the night was a gamble worth taking.

Jake Millie photo 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/19/24 19:41 by Leaveofabsence.

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I knew alot of union guys who used their union status privilege just to sharp shoot jobs. 

wharfrat Wrote:
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> I knew alot of union guys who used their union
> status privilege just to sharp shoot jobs. 

Yep, that happened to me.  A local chairman sharp shot me out of a bid assignment.  I complained to the road foreman and the union president.  At least the road foreman was apologetic.  The solution I found was perhaps not good, but it was effective - I became the local chairman for the next 37 years.

We allow our LC to have any vacation weeks he wants, though he can only increase the weekly cap to put himself on a given week, and we will NOT permit him to abuse his seniority.....karma is a biotch!

Honestly you shouldn't have answered the phone till 6am. 

Really?  Who burned who?  By your own admission you got the hold-down illegally, and when the tables were turned you got caught!  Some "union brother" you were!  

I had no problem being removed from the hold down. It was the time of day I was removed the union and LC preached safety and train line ups, getting your rest etc. If the LC was worried about safety he wouldn't of put me back on the board 10 minutes before I was called for an all nighter.