Railroaders' Nostalgia > July 4 Seniority Date

I hired out on the Rock Island as a Telegrapher in 1966.
I started as a student Operator in the late spring of '66.
The Chief Dispatcher, who ran the Extra Board, sent me from Iowa to Tinley Park, Illinois (Chicago Suburb) to finish training
and then relieve the Agent there for his vacation.  I was sent in to La Salle Street Station where the Terminal Trainmaster gave me a
Book of Rules "exam".  It consisted of 4 or 5 verbal questions.  I'm not sure at this late date what day this occurred, but he made my
Seniority Date July 4..My first actual day of work would have been the 5th.,
On the Rock Island, under the Telegraphers Agreement, you established your Seniority Date when you were qualifed to work, not  with ther first
shift that you worked.
I'm curious if there are any others out there who had a National Holiday as a seniority date?
zr190

Not me, but happy to simply get a seniority date.  Happy 4th and happy seniority date anniversary.  Hope your career was rewarding.  Knew a few operators as a kid, sounded interesting and challenging.  

My seniority date is the same as my anniversary date....it was the start of a new rewarding career...so she let it slide...

I am guessing that the Chief Dispatcher was Pat Mankins and that the Trainmaster was Norb Simon.

My dispatcher seniority date was 11/22/77. Very near Thanksgiving, several people in our office gained their seniority date on or near holidays as the people above us layed off for the holidays and allowed the newbys to go to work.

Chief Dispatcher was V R Beeson.  You are right on the Trainmaster.
zrt190

Mine was 5-1-79  and retired 9-30-2019.

Not a national holiday but my seniority date on the UP in the late 80s was on what eventually became a tragic day in U.S. history, 9/11.

Close...Switchman 7/3/79 and Engineer 7/2/94. Still at it.

I went to work at 11:59 PM on February 29, 1976, thus kind of a unique seniority date.