Eastern Railroad Discussion > CSX: have covid19 your coming to work

C S X T R A N S P O R T A T I O N
NOVEMBER 10, 2020

HEADQUARTERS SUB SYSTEM NOTICE 116

TO: T&E CREWS AND ALL CONCERNED
SUBJECT: T&E COVID-19 RULE CHANGES
EFFECTIVE: 0900HRS, NOVEMBER 10, 2020

ITEM 1 - T&E COVID-19 RULE CHANGES

FELLOW RAILROADERS,

AS THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC CONTINUES ACROSS OUR SERVICE TERRITORY, CSX
HAS A VITAL RESPONSIBILITY TO SAFEGUARD EMPLOYEE HEALTH WHILE
CONTINUING TO OPERATE OUR PORTION OF THE NATION'S CRITICAL
TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE. TO ENSURE WE ARE ABLE TO FULFILL BOTH
OF THESE RESPONSIBILITIES, WE WILL IMPLEMENT CHANGES IN OUR
CORONAVIRUS PREVENTION PROTOCOLS, EFFECTIVELY IMMEDIATELY, FOR T&E
EMPLOYEES.

SPECIFICALLY, WE WILL BE ALIGNING OUR PROTOCOLS WITH THE CENTERS FOR
DISEASE CONTROL (CDC) GUIDELINES FOR CRITICAL TRANSPORTATION
EMPLOYEES. SIMILAR PROTOCOLS HAVE BEEN IN PLACE FOR DISPATCHERS AND
CREW CALLERS AT THE NETWORK OPERATIONS CENTER SINCE JULY AND HAVE BEEN
SHOWN TO BE EFFECTIVE IN KEEPING A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
AVAILABLE TO COVER CRITICAL JOBS WHILE CONTINUING TO PRIORITIZE
WORKERS' HEALTH AND SAFETY.

IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO SOMEONE WITH COVID-19, CDC
GUIDELINES ALLOW YOU, AS A CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE EMPLOYEE, TO
CONTINUE TO WORK IF YOU:

- REMAIN ASYMPTOMATIC;
- HAVE YOUR TEMPERATURE CHECKED PRIOR TO WORKING (FOR 14 DAYS AFTER
REPORTED EXPOSURE); AND
- WEAR AN APPROVED FACE COVERING IN ALL SITUATIONS WHILE AT WORK -
INCLUDING IN VEHICLES AND THE LOCOMOTIVE CAB FOR 14 DAYS AFTER LAST
EXPOSURE.

WE ARE ALSO STRONGLY ENCOURAGING - ALTHOUGH NOT REQUIRING - THAT
EMPLOYEES TAKE A COVID-19 TEST WITHIN FIVE TO SEVEN DAYS AFTER BEING
EXPOSED TO A PERSON WITH THE VIRUS. WHILE EMPLOYEES MAY BE TESTED AT
ANY CONVENIENT LOCATION, CSX OFFERS A VOUCHER PROGRAM TO HELP COVER
THE COST AND FACILITATE TIMELY TESTING AND RECEIPT OF RESULTS.
INFORMATION ON ACCESSING THE VOUCHER WILL BE SENT DIRECTLY TO ANY
EMPLOYEE WHO NOTIFIES THE CSX MEDICAL DEPARTMENT (EMAIL
------@CSX.COM) OF THEIR POTENTIAL EXPOSURE. THESE CHANGES, WHICH ARE REFLECTED IN THE OPERATING RULE CITED BELOW,
WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE EFFECTIVE PROTECTION AGAINST THE SPREAD OF
THE CORONAVIRUS IN OUR WORKPLACE WHILE ENABLING US TO STAFF OUR
OPERATIONS AND KEEP THE NATION'S FREIGHT MOVING. WE ARE ALSO
CONTINUING OUR FOCUS ON PROVIDING FIELD LOCATIONS WITH ENHANCED
CLEANING SERVICES AND SANITATION SUPPLIES.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ONGOING DEDICATION TO SERVING OUR CUSTOMERS WHILE
OBSERVING HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS DURING THIS CHALLENGING TIME.
PLEASE CONTACT YOUR SUPERVISOR IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING
THESE CHANGES.
UPDATED SAFE WAY RULE 2009.24

PROPER FITTING FACE COVERINGS (CLOTH OR PAPER MASK) MUST BE WORN WHEN
A MINIMUM OF SIX FEET OF SOCIAL DISTANCE CANNOT BE MAINTAINED.

ADDITIONALLY, EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO SOMEONE WITH A
CONTAGIOUS RESPIRATORY DISEASE BUT ARE NOT SHOWING SIGNS OR SYMPTOMS
AND HAVE BEEN CLEARED BY CSX MEDICAL DEPARTMENT TO CONTINUE WORKING
MUST WEAR A MASK AT ALL TIMES WHEN:

A. INSIDE A LOCOMOTIVE CAB, OR
B. INSIDE A VEHICLE.

NOTE: WITH THE EXCEPTION OF BRIEFLY PULLING THE MASK DOWN TO EAT OR
DRINK.



ISSUED BY HUMAN RESOURCES

Posted from Android

If they are now following the same protocols that they have using in the dispatch center, your title is wrong.  If you have Covid, or any symptoms, you are not working.

Typhoon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If they are now following the same protocols that
> they have using in the dispatch center, your title
> is wrong.  If you have Covid, or any symptoms,
> you are not working.

As of now you are correct...but we have to work with every other known disease, Covid will become one of those. Since at some point they are going to assume that herd immunity has been esablished....I promise you....if they are lowering my casket into my grave I will still be required to accept a call to work...if you are railroader you know this is true. There is NO reason to mark off and NO mark offs will be allowed for ANY reason!

I agree title is wrong.  

Is this a CSX directive, or were the craft unions involved in its creation? 

Does CSX require that you notify your co-worker(s) that you've tested positive?  That might encourage them to wear a mask

If you had a normal temp when you reported for duty, but now feel hot and flushed, can you leave the job midway through your shift?

Making somebody work in a situation where they might miss an important signal notification, or mis-apply a radio directive would seem to have a lot of risk.
 

engineerinvirginia Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Typhoon Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > If they are now following the same protocols
> that
> > they have using in the dispatch center, your
> title
> > is wrong.  If you have Covid, or any symptoms,
> > you are not working.
>
> As of now you are correct...but we have to work
> with every other known disease, Covid will become
> one of those. Since at some point they are going
> to assume that herd immunity has been
> esablished....I promise you....if they are
> lowering my casket into my grave I will still be
> required to accept a call to work...if you are
> railroader you know this is true. There is NO
> reason to mark off and NO mark offs will be
> allowed for ANY reason!

Amen brother.

Posted from iPhone

I know this will not make me any friend here on TO, but I have to ask...

With the possible exception from what I hear from family/friends who are educators, I have never heard more bitching and moaning about a chosen profession as I have from you railheads here on TO.  I will not (and cannot given my total lack of experience in the industry) dispute any of your claims of mistreatment, hostility of management, forced work conditions, crappy pay, etc. etc. etc. - however, I just have one fundamental question for all of you:  Why do you put up with it?  If it sucks so bad, I don't understand why most of you don't just move on and choose another career path.  Yes, I acknowledge in the current covid-19 time it's not so easy to find a new job, but pre-covid the economy was cranking - surely there were/are other opportunities out there to explore if you are so unhappy with your current gig.

This in no means implies I sanction any practice by any railroad regarding how they treat their employees - if I am to take your collective word at face value about how horrible railroad employment is (especially amongst the Class 1's), I don't see why many/most of you wouldn't just pick up and leave immediately and try to find a profession that actually appreciates your efforts and talent.

Again, this isn't a knock on anyone in particular - I'm just very curious about why so many people would stick with a profession that they seem to despise. 

Why do we stay? Long story short. Railroad Retirement! Basically Your spouse draws half of what you do when you retire. With the things the way they are now I have never seen so many guys with fifteen to twenty years in just walk away.

rbenko Wrote:
———

I get retirement that most do not.

I get to see things that many cannot.

I have four paid off vehicles.

I have an 80 acre ranch that I can see sometimes.

I am human.

Management is not.

Posted from iPhone

And if you do want to leave railroading come over to trucking where you will put up with the same management philosophy for half the pay and we bitch as much if not more than railroaders, but don't leave because $52k a year is way better than a lot of people make
Michael T Kerner
Collinsville, IL

Posted from Android

I wonder if posters actually read OP before replying or if the OP even read the directive.
 
IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO SOMEONE WITH COVID-19, CDC
GUIDELINES ALLOW YOU, AS A CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE EMPLOYEE, TO
CONTINUE TO WORK IF YOU...............

Exposed to person, not positive yourself.

Bob

...

The vast majority of complainers are in train and engine service.  Don't assume they come close to representing the rest of us.


rbenko Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I know this will not make me any friend here on
> TO, but I have to ask...
>
> With the possible exception from what I hear from
> family/friends who are educators, I have never
> heard more bitching and moaning about a chosen
> profession as I have from you railheads here on
> TO.  I will not (and cannot given my total lack
> of experience in the industry) dispute any of your
> claims of mistreatment, hostility of management,
> forced work conditions, crappy pay, etc. etc. etc.
> - however, I just have one fundamental question
> for all of you:  Why do you put up with it?  If
> it sucks so bad, I don't understand why most of
> you don't just move on and choose another career
> path.  Yes, I acknowledge in the current covid-19
> time it's not so easy to find a new job, but
> pre-covid the economy was cranking - surely there
> were/are other opportunities out there to explore
> if you are so unhappy with your current gig.
>
> This in no means implies I sanction any practice
> by any railroad regarding how they treat their
> employees - if I am to take your collective word
> at face value about how horrible railroad
> employment is (especially amongst the Class 1's),
> I don't see why many/most of you wouldn't just
> pick up and leave immediately and try to find a
> profession that actually appreciates your efforts
> and talent.
>
> Again, this isn't a knock on anyone in particular
> - I'm just very curious about why so many people
> would stick with a profession that they seem to
> despise. 

Bob Wilcox
Charlottesville, VA
My Flickr Shots



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/12/20 08:07 by bobwilcox.

Lackawanna484 Wrote:

> Is this a CSX directive, or were the craft unions
> involved in its creation? 

Anytime you see the word "guideline" in a carrier directive, there has been no craft union involvement, nor has the affected craft union been allowed fair and equal representation or input.

Anytime the word "agreement" is used in the carrier directive, the affected craft unions have been allowed to participate, regardless of how fair and equal the agreement actually is for either party.

oneblock Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Why do we stay? Long story short. Railroad
> Retirement! Basically Your spouse draws half of
> what you do when you retire. With the things the
> way they are now I have never seen so many guys
> with fifteen to twenty years in just walk away.

Figured that is probably the main reason people stick it out - having a 'guaranteed' pension in retirement is sweet, but it can be a double-edged sword.  'Till then, they got you by the proverbial short hairs...

IC1038west Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Lackawanna484 Wrote:
>
> > Is this a CSX directive, or were the craft
> unions
> > involved in its creation? 
>
> Anytime you see the word "guideline" in a carrier
> directive, there has been no craft union
> involvement, nor has the affected craft union been
> allowed fair and equal representation or input.
>
> Anytime the word "agreement" is used in the
> carrier directive, the affected craft unions have
> been allowed to participate, regardless of how
> fair and equal the agreement actually is for
> either party.

Thanks, that's very helpful.

Posted from Android

Why stick with it?  Because you enjoy the work but struggle with the unnecessarily harsh extremely unhealthy lifestyle that gets worse each year.  Railroad Retirement is part of it as the bean counters come up with new policies that destroy what is left of the Labor agreements.  

It's not like a WFH keyboard pounder who makes 3x the money who can go find another job without even leaving the house.  

sphogger



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/12/20 10:36 by sphogger.

sphogger Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ...
> It's not like a WFH keyboard pounder who makes 3x
> the money who can go find another job without even
> leaving the house.  

Hey  - I resemble that remark!!!  ;-)

Why stick with this job? I actually like my job.....I KNOW the management and its philosophy and the downside is actually as I describe it....but as for the job...I do like it....no need to quit. 

Railroaders complain.

It’s what we do best.

Primarily, we complain because we know how to do our jobs, and we see inefficient, ineffective, edicts constantly handed down from a HQ full of people who haven’t the first clue how to run a efficient, effective, profitable railroad.

If it weren’t for executive management and the shareholders pulling the strings, it would be a sweet gig.

The good operations management teams know how the railroad (should) be run, but they are afraid to speak up. You hurt the wrong executive vice president’s ego and your getting transferred to the opposite end of the railroad. Simply because you found fault with his operating plan



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/13/20 12:47 by RGTower.