Pravda Part Deux!

Wow - just wow!

I guess I can say that many of you may remember this post from about a month ago.
I got a butt load of emails from folks who said I was full of [poop] let's leave that editing in there just to be polite!
Drivers and Light rail alike, even a few "I used to be a driver at RTD and...." decided to write in and gimme their two cents!

Let me "re-explain" what's going on in this process.

A position opens up for light rail operators, let's say 5 openings.
30 plus full timers will apply and at least as many part timers will also apply.
Those accepting the applications are forced by the union to take the first 5, most senior applicants.
Those with the most time in their position as full time drivers.
So those with twenty, fifteen and ten years will usually fill the positions.

Some time later we see what is called an answer sheet posted that shows which 5 full time drivers got the job and the long long lists of full time drivers who didn't get the job but who applied.
The part timers aren't shown on this list because the union causes RTD to discriminate against the part timers as second class - as long as one full timer has applied for the job, part timers don't even count!

With that in mind, the 5 full timers who got the job go into training.
These 5 full timers have to start from scratch, giving up their pay grade, their seniority and they have to quickly learn to shed all the bad habits and records they've accumulated over their longer time as drivers.

Many if not most of these drivers "wash out," leaving the positions unfilled.
In fact, some time back there were two people from another department who, although they were not drivers, were chosen over the myriad of part time driver applicants because they were full time and lumped together with the drivers.
These two washed out almost immediately and instead of coming to the pool of part time applicants, the union forces RTD to re post the position so that more full time drivers can apply!

The newer drivers both full time and part time with less bad habits, less pay to lose, less seniority to give up and less bad driving records - the drivers who are better qualified were passed up for the job because the union forced RTD to discriminate and not pick the applicants who were best for the job.

The union set RTD up to fail.
And really that's all the union is good for, that's their number one goal when you look at all their policies and practices.
The union is all about them and nothing about the customer and the customer's customer (you!)

Anywho, those of you up at Elati who wrote in telling me that I'm full of [poop] and that none of the positions are being filled, from the applicant's point of view, they are being over filled.
From your point of view, the failed policies of the union are causing the positions to go unfilled.

Good drivers are dying to get over there, Elati.
Enough good drivers to fill all the positions coming by the end of this year and into next.
You may not get them all right away but eventually...

Unfortunately this is the entitlement mentality of the senior drivers, the union and those who support it.
Even though they either don't want it or don't deserve it, they demand that they are given it and if they wash out or are not qualified, they still don't want you to have it so it goes back to others like them!

As Always, "Welcome aboard, Ignore the union, Find your seats - Let's Roll!"