Aurora Man Safe After Train Crashes Into His Pickup

BS!!! It has nothing to do with slowdown. UP is reporting record profits and GREED is the motive for cutting men off that left GOOD jobs to live the dream of working for the railroad. You will need us one day and I hope everyone decides to retire that can will all do at once and you will be desperatley calling all furloughed employees back only to find out most of us have moved on. This company cares less for its employees than any other company in the world. Do not hire at UP because you will be hired, lied to and after your training, you will be cut-off. Record profits means more furloughed employees. UP you are a horrible company and I hope all you higher up execs can sleep well at night with your fat bonuses knowing you are putting families out in the streets. You suck and your day will come. It all comes back. Always has and always will. You will face what your doing to us one day and it will hit you ten-fold.

New Agreement Covers Most Employees Affected by Furlough Slowing U.S. economic growth coupled with slower-than-expected business volumes have prompted a limited furlough of more than 200 train and yard employees in areas throughout the system. Most of the affected train and yard employees will be covered under a new Auxiliary Work and Training Status (AWTS) Agreement, recently negotiated with several UTU general chairmen. This agreement guarantees a minimum of eight scheduled workdays per month and continues full healthcare benefits. About 60 percent of the railroad’s trainmen and yardmen are covered by these new arrangements. Affected train and yard employees who are not covered by the AWTS agreement will be furloughed. Crew Management Services will notify employees impacted by the anticipated job reductions by phone. CMS has added a furlough and AWTS information section to its Web portal that includes a QandA segment, contact information, a place to submit questions and copies of the AWTS agreements. "We are hopeful the furlough situation will be temporary, as we expect numerous retirements in the April-May timeframe." – Dennis Duffy, executive vice president-Operations Since 2003, the railroad has hired more than 12,600 new TEandY employees as demand for rail transportation grew and retirements increased. Estimates for the current workforce were set months ago, factoring in the time required for the interview and hiring process, as well as training. However, volume growth slowed in the fourth quarter 2006, with declines in Industrial Products commodities – particularly lumber – subsequently affecting UP thru-freight traffic, and yard and local operations. Slower Intermodal growth and lighter Chemical volumes were experienced as well. "Like other industries, we must match our workforce levels with anticipated demand," said Dennis Duffy, executive vice president-Operations. "We are hopeful the furlough situation will be temporary, as we expect numerous retirements in the April-May timeframe." UP expects to continue hiring train crew personnel at levels similar to previous years in some locations, including the Powder River Basin east to Chicago and St. Louis, and along the Sunset Corridor from West Colton to El Paso. For 2007, UP anticipates hiring at least 2,000 TEandY positions. More information will be published in UPOnline as it becomes available.