STANFORD, Ky. -- Two weeks ago, the Interior Journal reported that Norfolk Southern's plans to stop using Danville as a crew change point would not mean forced relocation of employees who board their trains at the Danville yard, but Stanford resident and United Transportation Union State Legislative Directive David Miracle said that Norfolk Southern has told his group something else, the Journal reports.
A family member of a Norfolk Southern employee who alerted the IJ to the story said that union members had been told they would have to relocate to Knoxville, Chattanooga, Louisville or Cincinnati, but Robin Chapman, a public relations officer for the railroad, said in an interview, "That's not so." Miracle, however, produced a document that indicated that moving employees might really be on the railroad's mind.
When the company told employees they were considering moving the crew change location from Danville to the Grove/Tateville yard near Somerset, the union sent a list of questions about the plan to Norfolk Southern and Miracle provided the IJ with their responses.
According to the written response, when asked, "Why can't crews from the 2nd District have a home terminal of Grove/Tateville?" Norfolk Southern said that it would cause an imbalance in crews at either terminal, and went on to say, "Managing this inefficiency is extremely difficult and creates a substantial increase in lodging, taxi, and deadhead costs, as well as, increases the manpower required to protect the service."
While Norfolk Southern's response to the union's queries doesn't come right out and say that people will be forced to move, it does specifically mention that employees will be "eligible to exercise seniority to the new interdivisional assignments," meaning that they can compete for positions in the above cities based on how much time they have on the rails.
While he is concerned about the impact such a move would have on his union members, Miracle said that these types of discussions have been going on for years. Regardless of whether employees are required to move to distant terminals to retain their jobs or commute to Grove/Tateville to change trains, there is sure to be an impact on families and the local economy to some extent.
(The preceding report by Michael Broihier was published February 5, 2010, by the Interior Journal.)
STANFORD, Ky. -- Two weeks ago, the Interior Journal reported that Norfolk Southern's plans to stop using Danville as a crew change point would not mean forced relocation of employees who board their trains at the Danville yard, but Stanford resident and United Transportation Union State Legislative Directive David Miracle said that Norfolk Southern has told his group something else, the Journal reports.
A family member of a Norfolk Southern employee who alerted the IJ to the story said that union members had been told they would have to relocate to Knoxville, Chattanooga, Louisville or Cincinnati, but Robin Chapman, a public relations officer for the railroad, said in an interview, "That's not so." Miracle, however, produced a document that indicated that moving employees might really be on the railroad's mind.
When the company told employees they were considering moving the crew change location from Danville to the Grove/Tateville yard near Somerset, the union sent a list of questions about the plan to Norfolk Southern and Miracle provided the IJ with their responses.
According to the written response, when asked, "Why can't crews from the 2nd District have a home terminal of Grove/Tateville?" Norfolk Southern said that it would cause an imbalance in crews at either terminal, and went on to say, "Managing this inefficiency is extremely difficult and creates a substantial increase in lodging, taxi, and deadhead costs, as well as, increases the manpower required to protect the service."
While Norfolk Southern's response to the union's queries doesn't come right out and say that people will be forced to move, it does specifically mention that employees will be "eligible to exercise seniority to the new interdivisional assignments," meaning that they can compete for positions in the above cities based on how much time they have on the rails.
While he is concerned about the impact such a move would have on his union members, Miracle said that these types of discussions have been going on for years. Regardless of whether employees are required to move to distant terminals to retain their jobs or commute to Grove/Tateville to change trains, there is sure to be an impact on families and the local economy to some extent.
(The preceding report by Michael Broihier was published February 5, 2010, by the Interior Journal.)
February 5, 2010
-- Edited by Snippy on Friday 5th of February 2010 01:24:04 PM
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I think LAMCo is done with the neo-nazi CSX rejects -- Pipes FC 8/5/23
Come on, its just practice. I mean, we talkin about practice. Not a game now, were talking about practice man! Practice.not a game. Not a game. Practice. We talking about practice!
