Bill and Steve hiring high tech jobs cannot be reasonably compared with a railroad hiring conductors and engineers to work night and day in isolated and remote areas.

I've done my share of complaining about silly positions union management has taken over the years. Regardless, I've been a conductor in the middle of "bloody no where" and suffered from a variety of conditions created by junior management. If you've been in that position, you know there is no single "go to" person except for your local chairman. Even in the 21st Century, there is a need for unions. I think that need is directly proportional to the size of the company you work for and the degree to which your railroad operates away from the mainstream.

One story to help illustrate my point: you are called to work a specific job that should have brought you home the same day. Unfortunately, the crew office misinterpreted the vacancy and you found yourself overnighting at a terminal many miles from town and without food. The local chair got the company to taxi you into town for a hot meal (that the company paid for) and a taxi back to the bunkhouse, a request the crew office had originally denied. The local chair was able to determine the calling bureau had misrepresented the assignment and was able to convince the crew supervisor to remedy the situation. Sadly, as many who work for large railroads and have seniority numbers with three or more digits know, some problems just can't be solved by an individual.

Robert, call your local chairman. Their job is to investigate this kind of issue.