Thread regarding Union Pacific Corp. layoffs

You won’t find any wool in my zipper.

I was a sheep. I’m so glad I’m not back there!

When I hired out men were men and sheep were scared. O how I wish for the good old days.

5 years ago? Its always been a dumpster fire. You just didnt know any better at the time.

It sure ain’t, but it dang sure wasn’t a great place then either!

no disrespect, but I'm sure he worked in Omaha. No-one in the field thought like that 5 years ago. now the rest of the railroad is seeing past the UP yellow rainbows and sunshine they sell in Omaha and seeing how ground beef is made.

What railroad fantasyland were you working at 5 years ago? It doesn't sound like the same UP I worked for.

I don't agree with the original post, even though it was well thought out and well written.

UP hasn't changed the way it does business since the 1890s. Five years ago there were still fatalities, derailments and lawsuits. Five years ago they still used bully tactics against their employees and the communities they operated in. They still relied on their monopoly over the western two-thirds of the country to secure their bottom line. They still had yet to modernize. There was still no work-life balance.

UP might be worse now but that doesn't mean that it was good to begin with.

The hedge fund backing them will fall, It has already begun. It's almost like the housing bubble, but these hedge funds are betting against America. They have increased the stock to the moon. Once it tanks they will invest another 30 to 50 billion into Union Pacific, and when the trade deal is reached and UP starts flat line shipping, that is Intermodal only, the stock will soar to nearly 350 a share but in doing so they are willing to take America down in the name of greed. Stocks will drop 70 percent, housing will lose 30 to 50 in value and with all this being done there will be a new president that does not even care more less will not have the backing of congress to save America. I sold my own took all the cash out and purchased a small townhouse for cash, I paid of my cars, and have no credit debt. I'm waiting, because I fear what my grandmother has said to me. I major crash is coming and I am prepared, regardless to what the media says, the economy is bad and banks are desperate to lend. My girlfriend whom has bad credit purchased a 2019 Honda Accord with a 522 credit score and was approved through Honda Financial at 3.99% , if that does not scare you then I do not know what will. I encourage you to move on and let this go nothing will ever be the same again, and it will fall regardless to what wall street says.

I don’t work at UP anymore but know some new hires through some mutual friends. I should say former new hires because after being furloughed they quit and went to other jobs. But when I see them at the bar or elsewhere we trade stories about UP and get a good laugh. and actually the people that talk the most about how f’d a company it is are their wives sitting beside them.

All the new hires are the ones in management positions that don’t have a clue.

Maybe 25 or 30 years ago that was true. How short is everyone’s memory? 5 years ago UP was horrible. I think the only difference is the layoffs started within the past five years, and it has started being a horrible company throughout the system not just in the field.

Where are there new hires? With all the layoffs is there anyone here even hired in the last five years. Shouldn't have any problems now with only the veteran craftspeople left to pull handles and repair equipment and track.

I agree with OP.
The environment was much different, it was a stable blend of seasoned veterans and energetic newer folk. We could rely on the experience of many different front line leaders. Today, we have inexperienced new hires fighting to get rights just to be able to hold job. 30 and 40 year people left and a vacuum was created. Back 8 to 10 years ago, UP was proud to fend off the PSR and Hedge Fund investors.... We lost our ability to steer the course.
It will never be the same.... I am glad this board is here, not too many people understand from the outside what we have been through.

I'm sure it's different at other locations but I was never expected to work hard or do whatever it takes. The mismanagement has been there far longer than five years. It's just starting to catch up to them now. I feel sorry for the people to afraid to find a better place to work.