August Update

Dorm Standards - After last month’s Chattanooga Dorm inspection, a list of standards was created. You can view that list HERE. If you find any fault with the Dorm that deviates from the list of standards, or that creates an unsafe or unsanitary environment, please document the deficiency with pictures or video and report it to your Local Chairman. Unfortunately, we are stuck with the dorm and the only way to get things fixed is through documentation and constant follow-up to ensure that all issues are addressed promptly.

Locomotive Cameras - Be aware that the company is reviewing the inward facing cameras after all incidents - major and minor (Emergency Brake Application, PTC Enforcement, etc.). They are looking to ensure that everyone is complying with their rules concerning attention to duty, electronic devices, unapproved reading material.

Off Day / Vacation Agreement - I’ve had several conversations about the Off day / Vacation Agreement with the CMC and I think I have a more clear understanding of what is required when selecting to drop to the bottom of the board / start off days / vacation early.

• The CMC says that the main issues with the CrewPro app are caused by the app not being up to date, and employees not logging out. So before trying to select any of the actions afforded to you under the new agreement, ensure that you manually click the logout button to log out and then log back in, and ensure that your app is up to date.

• If you’re on a pool turn, trying drop to the bottom of the board 24hrs before the start of your off day, you must use the CrewPro mobile or web app to make this selection between 24-36 hours BEFORE the start of your rest days. For example: if your scheduled rest day starts at 2am on Monday, you must make the selection to go to the holding board between 2pm on Saturday (36hrs prior) and 2am on Sunday (24hrs prior). Once this selection is made, you will remain on the normal pool until 2am on Sunday, at which point, you’ll be moved to the holding board and will only be subject to call after the pool turn and extraboard is depleted.

• If you tie-up at the home terminal between 24-16hrs prior to the start of your scheduled off day, you must make the selection to be placed on the holding board within 15min of tie-up.

• If you tie up less than 16hrs prior to the start of your scheduled rest days, you can only make the selection to start your off days early and must make that selection within 15min of tie-up.

• If you’re scheduled to start your weekly vacation with PWS at 11:01pm on Sunday, you may elect to drop to the bottom of your pool/extraboard 24hrs prior to the start of your vacation in the CrewPro app in the Employee Action tab. You can only drop to the bottom once.

• You can also elect to start your vacation early at 6pm on the Sunday prior to your vacation by using a future layoff (if before 6pm), or immediate layoff (if after 6pm) and using the status code “G/EV Early Vac.”

• If you made the selection to drop to the bottom of the board before your vacation and still got called to work, and you made the selection to go first out at the away from home terminal, you can use the CrewPro app’s Employee Actions tab to submit a deadhead home request and you should be deadheaded home 4hrs prior to the start of your vacation if you aren’t already called for a train.

Video instruction for each of these processes can be found HERE. If you believe you have met all of these requirements and aren’t able to make the necessary selection in CrewPro, contact the CMC to document the problem and please let your Local Chairman know so the issue can be addressed.

Note: these options are only available to Conductors.

2025 On-Property Tentative Agreement - A copy of the 2025 Tentative Agreement can be found on the ‘Agreements’ page of this website or by following THIS LINK. The tentative agreement includes a 18.76% compound wage increase over the span of the agreement, New Hires immediately get up to 7 single day vacation days (depending on their mark-up date), amending the accrual of vacation weeks to bump you up to the next step sooner, Health and Welfare increases with no increased premiums beyond what was already established in the prior agreement. We are supposed to have a Zoom call with the General Chairman about the Tentative Agreement this week, so please read through the agreement and direct any questions HERE so I can get them answered.

For those that might not fully understand how the Union or Collective Bargaining works, SMART created THIS video to explain the process.