NJT and Those Cancelled Trains

Found a good article:

https://www.nj.com/traffic/index.ssf/2018/08/nj_transit_boss_says_no_excuses_for_canceled_train.html

It does appear to be sick days, with PTC as a small impact due to having to move trains to the yard to install car-borne equipment. Why the PTC install movements couldn't be coordinated at the end of each day is unclear to me.

Here's another one from last year that explains the migration of Engineers from NJT to the MTA based upon a 20% pay differential.

https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/transportation/2017/09/22/investigation-nj-transit-facing-severe-staffing-crisis-could-mean-more-delays/667407001/

Text of the joint letter sent to Murphy signed by Sheena Collum and Vic DeLuca: 

https://southorange.org/DocumentCenter/View/1478/NJ-Transit-Letter-081018?bidId=

Red_Barchetta said:

sac said:

FilmCarp said:

Sweetsnuggles said:

sac said:

jimmurphy said:
PTC is being installed by hired contractors, not NJT employees.


They’ve announced on the news that the Engineers have the right under their contract to take vacation days with no notice. The cutbacks may have resulted in a lower headcount, leaving nobody “on the bench” to replace the Engineers on vacation.

Vacation can be generous without allowing no notice.  Somebody fell down on the job on that negotiation.  

 Vacation without any notice makes it impossible to plan or run a business efficiently.  Someone really dropped the ball.

 If they paid enough to retain skilled staff they wouldn't have a problem.  That's the root of it.

 They absolutely need to improve pay and possibly also benefits (I don't know re the latter)

 Respectfully, do any of us here know that to be true?  

 There are multiple reports that one of the reasons for the Engineer shortage is due to NJT Engineers leaving for better paying jobs with other rail lines.  So, it sounds like pay (at least) needs to be improved if we want to attract and retain them.

If it is excessive sick days, then something more than illness is going on here.  It's not like there are any major flu epidemics or similar going on right now.  Usually when there are lots of sick days among a group of employees like this, then they are using the days for other purposes - perhaps to augment vacation, perhaps for job interviews, who knows ... but the likely reasons generally do not indicate that they have a high level of job satisfaction. (Unless there is some mysterious "train engineer disease" being passed around, but I wouldn't put money on that explanation.)

sac said:

Red_Barchetta said:

sac said:

FilmCarp said:

Sweetsnuggles said:

sac said:

jimmurphy said:
PTC is being installed by hired contractors, not NJT employees.


They’ve announced on the news that the Engineers have the right under their contract to take vacation days with no notice. The cutbacks may have resulted in a lower headcount, leaving nobody “on the bench” to replace the Engineers on vacation.

Vacation can be generous without allowing no notice.  Somebody fell down on the job on that negotiation.  

 Vacation without any notice makes it impossible to plan or run a business efficiently.  Someone really dropped the ball.

 If they paid enough to retain skilled staff they wouldn't have a problem.  That's the root of it.

 They absolutely need to improve pay and possibly also benefits (I don't know re the latter)

 Respectfully, do any of us here know that to be true?  

 There are multiple reports that one of the reasons for the Engineer shortage is due to NJT Engineers leaving for better paying jobs with other rail lines.  So, it sounds like pay (at least) needs to be improved if we want to attract and retain them.

 Instead, Sweeney and some legislators want to cut their benefits. 

What are the positions of local legislators? Mila?

It occurs to me that given the situation, unions will on occasion supply "travelers" to areas with greater labor demand than supply.

Normally the concern about not knowing the intriacies of the system would be an issue, but given the fact that so many experienced former NJT engineers are now employed next door in New York, it might make sense for the pols to look into travelers.

You out there to make a suggestion, Sheena?

Much to my surprise, the posts seem to suggest that because the NJT engineers may be receiving below market compensation, it is acceptable for them to take no-notice (or day of notice) vacation days which causes hardship to thousands of commuters.  Am I understanding the sentiment correctly?

Grambling said:
Much to my surprise, the posts seem to suggest that because the NJT engineers may be receiving below market compensation, it is acceptable for them to take no-notice (or day of notice) vacation days which causes hardship to thousands of commuters.  Am I understanding the sentiment correctly?

I don’t know about the sentiment, but you don’t appear to be understanding the unexcused absences correctly. Did you read the article that Jim linked to in his 9:12 post?

One of the conductors I know told me about the engineer shortage months ago.  Many of them had put off their vacations after being told by NJT that they were hiring new engineers.  Once the summer came and the shortage became greater, they finally started taking their vacation time as they are entitled to do.  Further complicating the matter was Murphy terminated numerous senior employees with minimal notice and their replacements had to get up to speed.  

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