CNs 'Culture of Fear' exposed!

[CliqueofOne]

The report from the Canadian that not even the all powerful Harrison and his gang could stifle. Yet it didn’t take long for his team of ‘Rumour & Damage Control’ Spin Doctors to get into action.

Stronger Ties: A Shared Commitment to Railway Safety - Report of the Railway Safety Act Review Advisory Panel

http://www.tc.gc.ca/tcss/RSA_Review-Examen_LSF/FinalReport/menu.htm

Take special note of section 5. Safety Management Systmes (SMS) and especially 5.3.1 Culture Change in the Railway Industry that pertains to the New CNs ‘Culture of Fear’.

This report does not come as a surprise to the Canadian employees of the Canadian National Railways.

[trainboyH16-44]

Doesn’t come as a suprise to people who know CN employees, either…

[CNW_6000]

http://www.tc.gc.ca/tcss/RSA_Review-Examen_LSF/FinalReport/menu.htm

Link activated.

I’ll agree with what was said above and add that of all the crews I’ve had brief contacts with CNs are usually the most unfriendly.

[Anonymous]

An excerpt from the document:

In terms of overall safety culture, from the Panel’s experience, passenger railways, and VIA Rail in particular, have a commendable safety culture. CP has made great strides in improving its approach to safety management and to developing a healthy safety culture in its company.

On the other hand, in the Panel’s opinion, CN’s strict adherence to a rules-based approach, focussed largely on disciplinary actions when mistakes are made, has instilled a “culture of fear and discipline” and is counter to an effective safety management system. CN needs to acknowledge this openly and take concrete steps to improve…

Further on, the review tackles the issue of Fatigue but it was not given the coverage it deserved. Here are snippets from that section:

9.1 Fatigue Management

Fatigue within the railway environment is a significant problem…

…The CANALERT '95 study recommended that the following fatigue countermeasures be put into place:

– Provide regular and predictable duty periods;

– Require rest after outbound night runs and prior to overnight return runs;

– Implement napping strategies system-wide;

– Exempt napping train crews from train inspection responsibilities;

– Install reclining seats in locomotive cabs;

– Modify bunkhouse rooms for improved daytime sleep;

– Install locomotive cab audio systems;

– Conduct and extend lifestyle-training programs; and

– Train rail traffic controllers and crew callers in fatigue strategies.

This was an excellent study with many recommendations. Unfortunately, it was abandoned and all we have in its place is a few poorly designed napping rooms and mandatory off-duty times that do not ensure sufficient rest.

Train line-ups that train crews can access to estimate when they will next be going to work are at best a g

[dknelson]

of all the crews I’ve had brief contacts with CNs are usually the most unfriendly.

That has not been my experience but then maybe the CN guys I have encountered were actually WC guys.

Dave Nelson

[sanvtoman]

Its seems the carriers are the only big industry still able to treat people that way in regards to off time. I know one former DTS trainmen who cant wait to retire from CN. He says the money is good but thats about it.

[CNW_6000]

of all the crews I’ve had brief contacts with CNs are usually the most unfriendly.

That has not been my experience but then maybe the CN guys I have encountered were actually WC guys.

Dave Nelson

My experience today changed that opinion. Not all of them are that way. I can’t say what changed my mind, but it was an AWESOME experience.

[zardoz]

I can’t say what changed my mind, but it was an AWESOME experience.

Imaginations are now running rampant trying to guess what you meant by the above statement.[;)]

[Soo_6604]

Topless, big-[censored] really friendly waving [:D] in the cab ornament to boost employee moral. If so, I am so going railfanning more!!

[CNW_6000]

I can’t say what changed my mind, but it was an AWESOME experience.

Imaginations are now running rampant trying to guess what you meant by the above statement.[;)]

Sorry, but I’m sworn to secrecy! [:D]

[CNW_6000]

Topless, big-[censored] really friendly waving [:D] in the cab ornament to boost employee moral. If so, I am so going railfanning more!!

LOL Not quite…

[blue_streak_1]

some airlnes treat their crews the same way when they are on reserve (on call)

[zardoz]

of all the crews I’ve had brief contacts with CNs are usually the most unfriendly.

That has not been my experience but then maybe the CN guys I have encountered were actually WC guys.

Dave Nelson

Before the CN takeover, the crews on WC trains thru Wisconsin were for the most part relatively friendly, willing to wave and acknowledge a railfan’s presence. And if they didn’t wave, at least they didn’t look down upon you and scowl.

These days the crews seems to be permantly grumpy.

I suppose working for a tyrant will do that to you after a while. Kinda hard to maintain a positive outlook when all you see around you is the walls of the hole the company stuck you in.

[selector]

I will never understand how an industry that ultimately serves the public (people) doesn’t start in its own house to serve people.

I have a personal bias against CN due to its public nature in terms of being a Crown Agency for much of its adult life…part of the government structure in Canada. At the same time, CPR had to go it all on its own as a private corporation. Still, I wish for the sake of the people who earn their livelihoods from CN that the corporation changes for the better.

[Ulrich]

CN has been a private company for over 12 years now, and CP was also the beneficiary of government money for a long time.

Many of CN’s orignal lines came about due to people wanting an alternative to the CPR.

The CN people around here (Ontario) wave as often as the CP people do…so if friendly waves" mean anything CN and CP are about even.