KCS Engineers & Trainmen Unite to Fight Back On the former Mid-South Railroad, the process of complete and total disregard of our contract by the carrier, coupled with non/misrepresentation by the operating craft unions began in earnest approximately five years ago. We don't really know where to start or where to end, as there are so many different things to talk about. It seems to have started with engineer trainees being denied their meal period and holidays once Kansas City Southern (KCS) found a loophole in the contract where engineer trainees will be paid 100% brakeman rate, period. The carrier basically honors no part of our contract. KCS refuses to meet with us, as they like things just the way they are. The unions tell us that they can't force KCS to meet with them (even though under the Railway Labor Act hours of work and work schedules are mandatory subjects of bargaining), so we are left with very few options besides standing together and building rank-&-file solidarity in what is a hostile anti-union environment. We are harassed by all levels of management, by the crew callers, the chief dispatchers, etc. We have practically no work rules left at all. At one time, we had 22 pool service jobs with a calendar day paid for days not worked at the away from home terminal (Vicksburg, MS) and home terminal (Shreveport, LA), as long as you remained marked up and available. Then, KCS unilaterally terminated all pool jobs and began running all trains off of the extra board. Since the extra board was not entitled to the calendar day (unless covering a pool job and the KCS had now eliminated the pool), the carrier was able to avoid paying these calendar day payments. In addition, all jobs now run to Jackson, MS, which is approximately 50 miles further, with no increase in our daily rate of pay. The BLET decided to take this one to arbitration, and the arbitrator ruled in the carrier's favor since the contract stated that trains that are run 6 to 7 days a week MAY be bulletined, instead of WILL BE bulletined. Our BLET general chairman, John Koonce, told one of our brothers that if we were one of the big Class I railroads we could get some help from BLET national division, but since we are the smallest Class I railroad, we just don't matter that much. So, basically, we have no pool or assigned service, engineers make zero compensation for being held at their away from home terminal, we have no guaranteed extra board, and we are being forced to work many more miles with no increase in our daily rate. When it comes to craft distinction, KCS seems intent on blurring the line between the two to the ultimate ends of combining them altogether. They will hold a demoted engineer on the brakeman extra board, run countless brakeman around him, holding him to use as an engineer, sometimes causing him to miss a day's pay, or then end up using him as a brakeman anyway. They will also run demoted engineers around regular extra board engineers. Just this past week, we have had two different incidents that involved a regular brakeman on an assigned yard job where KCS attempted to work him as an engineer as the engineer extra board was depleted. Fortunately, he did not do it, but the trainmaster made it clear that for future, reference, the carrier has the right to force this assignment. On another occasion, this same brother was forced to leave his job and protect another job in a yard that is almost daily, from brothers being denied the right to make seniority moves, being run around... the list goes on and on. KCS has implemented a new attendance/availability policy. Both unions sent KCS a letter stating that they object to it, but KCS has basically stated that they will do as they please. KCS sent out a circular in November 2009. The circular basically stated that since we are "full time" employees, the carrier expects us to work when they need us to work, and that our only off time should be our federally regulated days off (which we very rarely get), and days missed sitting at our away from home terminals (while of course,receiving no compensation). Our BLET general chairman tells us that we are "borderline harassing" him, and if we want a better contract, then we need to go to work for another carrier. We have sent letters to both the BLET and UTU. The BLET has basically told us there is nothing that they can do on a national level because of the constitution, unless the general committee asks for help. Our BLET general chairman calls us disgruntled morons and blames us for our current situation. The UTU has been much more pleasant to their members, but still, the UTU national continually refuses to get involved. So, we have decided to take issues into our own hands. We have started a large email list, where we share information, specific incidents, etc. and work to organize, motivate and mobilize our fellow workers. It is hard to motivate some brothers in our local as morale is so low, but we continue to work at it. We have plans for a red shirt weekend as a initial show of solidarity and strength. Many brothers have ordered red union made shirts with our own slogan on them. We have made contact with Railroad Workers United (RWU), Teamsters for a Democratic Union (TDU) and the Association for Union Democracy(AUD) for advice, ideas and support. A number of us have joined RWU and we are actively spreading the word on the property to encourage other co-workers to do the same, since RWU breeds unity and solidarity. We have many brothers who at this point are committed to the struggle and are willing to do whatever it takes. We have others who are kind of on the fence, but we expect them to come forward as the fight develops. And there are some who are hard to reach. But, we continue to try. Ultimately we believe that we will be able to overcome the apathy and despair, unite the vast majority of trainmen and engineers on the property and win our fight with the KCS.