I've Not Been Workin' on the Railroad

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

A Long Island Rail Road worker who raked in more than $280,000 in pay last year — more than half from overtime — was busted hanging out at home while on the clock, according to a report obtained by The Post.

But he was allowed to retire before he could be punished — and collect his full pension on the public dime.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/lirr-worker-who-hung-out-at-home-on-the-clock-to-retire-without-punishment-collect-full-pension-report

2

Many labor agreements specify a payment is due to the employee if they are called for ‘information or advice’ while the employee is off duty. In the contracts I have any information about this ‘call’ is compensated at 3 hours at the Overtime rate of pay. The 3 hou

3

Ah, doesn’t the period in question cover some fairly extensive ‘hurry-up’ bridge improvement and replacement projects on parts of the LIRR – we had at least one thread on some of them. I can easily see ‘competent’ expert management getting severe workouts with calls ‘to home’ on overtime… we’d need to see the employee record to see exactly what ‘all that overtime’ was for, and who approved it, and I really don’t think we’re going to get that.

I’m inclined to think some part of this is newsworkers updating the old crow: “How do you like the Journal’s war?” How amusing to see Fox News using the Post as a source on this story…

4

My pay rate as a volunteer is zero, of course.

But, due to our dispatch service sometimes being closed by the time we finish our trips, I’ve had to call in the next morning to cancel our paper. Technically, I need to be on duty to do so, and in Balt’s examples, that would be three hours due me for a five minute job.

I agree - this is just pot stirring.

5

Not taking any sides here, but New York State and New York City and their respective services are “owned” by the Democrats, and the New York Post is a Republican newspaper, so it’s no surprise the Post would seize on an opportunity to embarass the ruling party, and that Republican-leaning Fox News would go along.

By the same token, Democratic-leaning news outlets alway look for ways to embarass Republicans.

It’s a silly “stick-on-the-shoulder” game that’s gone on as long as the existance of the American republic. But what can you do, that’s the price you pay for a free press. Beats the alternative at any rate. I’ll take a sl

6

Yes, Working for the museum on Sunday. Overtime = double time (2 x 0) = 0