Here is an essay I wrote about my experience mostly based on my experience at a certain class1 Ry and my education at Murray State University.
Title: Most (NOT all) Corporations have NO ethics in Management DRAFT NUMBER ONE
(dieselducy is getting ready to step up on his soapbox) I have a college degree in Management and have had a management job in the past (and trust me, IT SUCKED)!! Based on the experience I had and what I learned in school, I will have to say that the management at the rr is among the WORST I HAVE EVER SEEN!!! (at least here on the VA division) Lets see where to start. in every previous job I have ever had, my manager/boss was there (for the most part) to help and resorted only to discipline in extreme cases. Up until I started with the rr I have NEVER been written up at any job. I even had a "preventable accident" at a previous job. I was spoken to and given training about it, but never officially disciplined for it. However here at the rr the supervisors are NOT supervisors, they are "rules enforcement police officers" there to see what they can discipline you for. I am a new employee, only employed since feb. and already I am getting the attitude, "if they don't appreciate the work i do, why should I work hard for them" so far I have been written up, ATTEMPTED TO BE fired over a d@mn video on youtube by a certain yard official, and sent some letters in the mail over some silly MINOR rules I supposedly broke. It is at the point where I feel HARASSED by management! It is still a bit of a culture shock to me by the way the management treats the employees here and i can fully understand why we need a union!!!!!
About my write-up at the RR It was over this issue called "trailing tonnage" going to Bluefield, you are allowed no more than 4500 tons behind restricted cars. and apparently an empty auto rack was "sipped" into my train. and it is a restricted car and there was over 6000 tons behind it. me being so new at the time did not know how to recognize this. Well needless to say, I was written up over it. (The thing about RR management, they don't really manage: i would use the term "rules enforcement police officer) There are a FEW good managers but for the most part, most of them are there to see how much they can get you for and are NOT there to help you (I am beginning to think this is all of corporate America as Wal-Mart management sucked just as bad. I guess that is why I am in a union). Writing me up was not the solution of the problem. A proper solution for this issue would have been to teach me how to identify these cars (I was taught during the write up session) and put a notation on the paper work. I was told by another member of management that 99.9 percent of conductors would have not caught the auto rack either. it was just a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. While I was running west, I was rules checked multiple times (and even sent a letter about another rule i "supposedly" broke)
About the Youtube video. While I was in training, between march and may of 2007 I shot 5 of "quickie" videos (LONG BEFORE I knew about the "no photography" rule) with the little movie clip thingy on my Sony Cyber-Shot camera and uploaded them to youtube to share with fellow rail fans. two were going over a bridge, one off a caboose showing the rear, one in Pulaski VA and finally one around narrows station. The longest one was approximately 4 minutes and the shortest one was approximately 15 seconds. A certain yard official supposedly found supposedly found them on a saturday in October 2007 and wanted to dismiss me (according to my union rep) a few days later. This official approximately. 3 weeks - a month earlier had told me that he/she had seen my web site, liked it, and then took me out of the building and said this exact quote "but if I catch you with a camera or camera phone here you're gone!" and then walked back into the building and pretended like everything was cool. this statement right here proves that he/she knew about the photography long before he/she tried to reprimand me for it. (longer than the 10 day limit). The last video was shot in May and I was reprimanded in October
Anyway, the "no photography" policy was brought to my attention by a train master on the day of my markup (in July 07) and I have complied with it since. I believe this is the technicality that released me from any discipline for this issue. BTW, my personal opinion: I believe the reprimand for the youtube videos was retaliation for coming honest when a certain official attempted to use me as a pawn to try to cover up an injury.
About the injury coverup attempt: I was a brakeman on the VR23 (the warehouse job to those of us in Roanoke) and an associate who was the conductor on that job that day got injured (I did not know about it until the official told me about it) I was down at 672 sometime a day or so after the injury happened. The official came in and shouted "Is Diesel Ducy in here!! i need to see Diesel Ducy!!! DieselDucy come outside with me, i need to talk to you!!!!" I go outside. The Sheriff says: (still in a very aggressive tone of voice) did you work on the VR 23 last saturday!!?? I said "what's that?" Before I go on, ya'll need to know that I was only in the yard for about a week or so at the time of the injury and I was unfamiliar with the track layouts in the yard as I trained on the road. He boomed back "The warehouse job!!! the one that goes to Cycle Systems!!!" I said "oh yeah! Yes sir, I was" and he replied, starting to calm down a little "do you know anything about an injury?" I said "no, I didn't get hurt" and he replied "not you, your conductor" and I said "No, my conductor never said anything about getting hurt." The official asks me to tell him what we did that day and I was a little rusty and shaken up by the yelling at and I couldn't remember, so then he gets rude with me again, and says in a fairly nasty tone "If I asked you what you did yesterday, would you be able to tell me??" I told him that I was a little tired and he said "I need you to remember what happened!" I started telling him what I remembered which Is what he asked me to put on a written statement for him. This is what I told him and wrote on the statement: We started by switching the train out in the Park St. part of the yard in tracks 4 5 and 6, went to cycle systems, switched it out, came back and put our locomotives and cab away at Park Street. The official took the pad of paper with my statement, thanked me and left 672. about a minute later, he comes back and says, "Diesel Ducy, I need you to step out here real quick." I go outside with him again and in a VERY quiet voice he says "I need you to put on this statement that you did not go into class track 10." I asked "where is class track 10?" He said "over by 15th St., now don't lie or let me put words in your mouth but I really need you to put this on your statement." (class track 10 is where the injury happened) me not knowing where class track 10 was put that on the statement and as I was putting it on the statement, his eyes lit up like a Christmas tree, he got a mile long grin and he started thanking me repeatedly and told me what a good employee I was, how much I just helped him out and how glad he is now that I am working in the yard. Now he takes my statement, hops in his vehicle and drives off. I go back in 672 and fellow associate asks me so, what happened? I told him and he replies, "Dude, you got your f#¢&*^g train out of track 10!!! you just signed a false statement!! You need to call your union rep at once!!!" so I did just that and about 10 minutes later my union rep calls me back and says my statement was taken care of. Ever since then, the official that told me he is so happy to have me in the yard has been trying get me for stuff ever since. One more thing about the youtube videos, I find it ironic that I am approached about the videos exactly 2 days after I turned in an injury report myself for a spider bite.
These sad stories prove that NOT ONLY IN RR MANAGEMENT, but many places, that management has NOTHING better to do than SPY on their employees and look for "petty" things to write them up and fire them for. ALSO management and engages in illegal practices (covering up injuries, safety hazards, and environmental compliance, embezzlement, illegal stock trading, and lying to get ahead) in ALMOST all large companies and the government!!
I am not trying to paint a bad picture but the truth of the matter is that LARGE CORPORATIONS HAVE NO ETHICS IN MANAGEMENT!! NOT just the RR but large corporations in general. TAKE IT FROM ME! I used to be a manager at a Wal-Mart and YOU DO NOT get ahead in a large company by being honest and working hard, YOU GET AHEAD BY WHO YOU KNOW, and stepping on OTHER people along the way by doing things like WRITING PEOPLE UP, FIRING people and kissing executive A$$!! this is why i never made it on management at Wal-Mart and this is why I will never go into management at the rr or any other large company! These companies want "cut throat" people with no morals running the show to find ways (usually dishonest or even illegal) to make money for their Shareholders which are usually greedier than the company they are investing in!! BIG BUSINESS HAS NO ETHICS!! Whether it is a Railroad, retail chain, trucking company, OIL COMPANY and ESPECIALLY OUR GOVERNMENT!! Good Honest people will NEVER get ahead. Management's role in an organization is to come in where things are running smoothly, create problems, and then fix it. basically, if it ain't broke, fix it 'til it is, now there is real job justification!!
I am just beginning to wonder: do all corporations have such crapy and sleazy management or is it just The railroad, or the VA division? I understand that rules and regulations are REQUIRED at all successful organizations to ensure safety, quality, productivity, and profits which is necessary for the success of ANY business. Management does have a job of enforcing the rules and company policies FAIRLY and UNIFORMLY (in a perfect world). Here is the issue, this is not a perfect world!! Businesses have become so big that most (not all) have lost their ethics. This is where the covering up injuries, safety hazards, and environmental compliance, embezzlement, illegal stock trading, and lying to get ahead comes in.
Everywhere I have worked, I try to follow the rules to the best of my ability. I have NEVER been treated so disrespectfully at any job I have ever worked before as I have at the rr and it sure creates a miserable and sometimes hostile work environment. I can GUARANTEE that if corporate management treated the employees with dignity and respect that A LOT and i mean A LOT more work would get done, workers would be more productive and the company as a whole would make more money, but unfortunately due to organizational politics, these people don't see this and continue to treat the employees like dog crap.. I saw on a poster at work somewhere this EXACT quote "management to the highest standard of honesty and fairness" now that is the biggest bunch of bull I have ever seen at work!!
(dieselducy now steps down off his soapbox)
In conclusion I will enlighten you on the three basic approaches to management which I learned in college.
1. Classical Approach to management: MOTTO: Management and motivation by fear and intimidation.
This style is primarily used in places like fast food restaurants, and union shops where either most of the employees don't really care about (or need) their jobs, or their jobs are protected by a 3rd party (the Union). A few small businesses also use this approach (and have a very high turnover and low success rate). example 1: McDonalds. There most of the employees are high school students who are just working there so they can get the cash to buy a walkman or GameBoy. They are not trying to support a family or pay a mortgage. They are just there to get play money so in theory, they are naturally lazy and they need to be motivated to work by looming discipline over their head. Example 2 Norfolk Southern (Union Company). workers are protected by a 3rd party which in theory protects them from unfair discipline. Due to the protection of the Union some power hungry managers feel they have their hands tied so they harass and intimidate their employees to give them a sense that they are in control. In the classical approach to management your pay and advancement is controlled by organizational politics (bosses favorite) or a union agreement (seniority)
2. Human Relations Approach: MOTTO: A happy worker is a productive worker.
This management style is a better approach!!! This is an approach where a worker that is treated with fairness, respect and dignity (and compensated accordingly) will in theory be more productive. This aspect is primarily used in small businesses (example: Southwoods Summer camp www.southwoods.com). however I'm sure that there are some large companies that use this approach Employers that use this approach will often recognize employees for their good work more rather than intimidate and spy on them for motivation. (discipline will still happen for deliberate rule violations). Managers in this setting will often be part of the team and work with the employees to make sure the job is being done right. In a human relations company your pay and advancement is dictated by your job performance and attitude rather than seniority which encourages and rewards positive work performance.
3. Human Resources Approach: MOTTO: A productive worker is a happy worker.
This management style is a great approach and is similar to human relations. This approach encourages creativity and "thinking outside the box" while still following rules and company policy. Examples of some Human Resources companies are Nintendo Of America, and Southwest Airlines. This aspect is used by both large companies and small businesses If employees are allowed to be productive they will be happier and in turn, work harder. If you give employees the tools they need to be productive, and give them the freedom to use these tools how they see fit, they will be happy with the sense of freedom the have at work in turn work harder and be very productive while maintaining a high morale and loyalty to the company Companies that use this style give their employees a certain sense of independence. They are encouraged to be creative and are rewarded for it. Like above, pay and and advancement is dictated by job performance. These companies are usually highly productive, very profitable and usually have a low turnover rate.
In closing, there are several different ways to manage employees however treating your employees with respect is the best way to go. If employees are happier, they will work harder and in turn, make a great profit for not only the company but themselves. Unfortunately, like i stated in my opinions and experiences, most companies have this motto: company and profits first, men second.
Title: Most (NOT all) Corporations have NO ethics in Management DRAFT NUMBER ONE
(dieselducy is getting ready to step up on his soapbox) I have a college degree in Management and have had a management job in the past (and trust me, IT SUCKED)!! Based on the experience I had and what I learned in school, I will have to say that the management at the rr is among the WORST I HAVE EVER SEEN!!! (at least here on the VA division) Lets see where to start. in every previous job I have ever had, my manager/boss was there (for the most part) to help and resorted only to discipline in extreme cases. Up until I started with the rr I have NEVER been written up at any job. I even had a "preventable accident" at a previous job. I was spoken to and given training about it, but never officially disciplined for it. However here at the rr the supervisors are NOT supervisors, they are "rules enforcement police officers" there to see what they can discipline you for. I am a new employee, only employed since feb. and already I am getting the attitude, "if they don't appreciate the work i do, why should I work hard for them" so far I have been written up, ATTEMPTED TO BE fired over a d@mn video on youtube by a certain yard official, and sent some letters in the mail over some silly MINOR rules I supposedly broke. It is at the point where I feel HARASSED by management! It is still a bit of a culture shock to me by the way the management treats the employees here and i can fully understand why we need a union!!!!!
About my write-up at the RR It was over this issue called "trailing tonnage" going to Bluefield, you are allowed no more than 4500 tons behind restricted cars. and apparently an empty auto rack was "sipped" into my train. and it is a restricted car and there was over 6000 tons behind it. me being so new at the time did not know how to recognize this. Well needless to say, I was written up over it. (The thing about RR management, they don't really manage: i would use the term "rules enforcement police officer) There are a FEW good managers but for the most part, most of them are there to see how much they can get you for and are NOT there to help you (I am beginning to think this is all of corporate America as Wal-Mart management sucked just as bad. I guess that is why I am in a union). Writing me up was not the solution of the problem. A proper solution for this issue would have been to teach me how to identify these cars (I was taught during the write up session) and put a notation on the paper work. I was told by another member of management that 99.9 percent of conductors would have not caught the auto rack either. it was just a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. While I was running west, I was rules checked multiple times (and even sent a letter about another rule i "supposedly" broke)
About the Youtube video. While I was in training, between march and may of 2007 I shot 5 of "quickie" videos (LONG BEFORE I knew about the "no photography" rule) with the little movie clip thingy on my Sony Cyber-Shot camera and uploaded them to youtube to share with fellow rail fans. two were going over a bridge, one off a caboose showing the rear, one in Pulaski VA and finally one around narrows station. The longest one was approximately 4 minutes and the shortest one was approximately 15 seconds. A certain yard official supposedly found supposedly found them on a saturday in October 2007 and wanted to dismiss me (according to my union rep) a few days later. This official approximately. 3 weeks - a month earlier had told me that he/she had seen my web site, liked it, and then took me out of the building and said this exact quote "but if I catch you with a camera or camera phone here you're gone!" and then walked back into the building and pretended like everything was cool. this statement right here proves that he/she knew about the photography long before he/she tried to reprimand me for it. (longer than the 10 day limit). The last video was shot in May and I was reprimanded in October
Anyway, the "no photography" policy was brought to my attention by a train master on the day of my markup (in July 07) and I have complied with it since. I believe this is the technicality that released me from any discipline for this issue. BTW, my personal opinion: I believe the reprimand for the youtube videos was retaliation for coming honest when a certain official attempted to use me as a pawn to try to cover up an injury. About the injury coverup attempt: I was a brakeman on the VR23 (the warehouse job to those of us in Roanoke) and an associate who was the conductor on that job that day got injured (I did not know about it until the official told me about it) I was down at 672 sometime a day or so after the injury happened. The official came in and shouted "Is Diesel Ducy in here!! i need to see Diesel Ducy!!! DieselDucy come outside with me, i need to talk to you!!!!" I go outside. The Sheriff says: (still in a very aggressive tone of voice) did you work on the VR 23 last saturday!!?? I said "what's that?" Before I go on, ya'll need to know that I was only in the yard for about a week or so at the time of the injury and I was unfamiliar with the track layouts in the yard as I trained on the road. He boomed back "The warehouse job!!! the one that goes to Cycle Systems!!!" I said "oh yeah! Yes sir, I was" and he replied, starting to calm down a little "do you know anything about an injury?" I said "no, I didn't get hurt" and he replied "not you, your conductor" and I said "No, my conductor never said anything about getting hurt." The official asks me to tell him what we did that day and I was a little rusty and shaken up by the yelling at and I couldn't remember, so then he gets rude with me again, and says in a fairly nasty tone "If I asked you what you did yesterday, would you be able to tell me??" I told him that I was a little tired and he said "I need you to remember what happened!" I started telling him what I remembered which Is what he asked me to put on a written statement for him. This is what I told him and wrote on the statement: We started by switching the train out in the Park St. part of the yard in tracks 4 5 and 6, went to cycle systems, switched it out, came back and put our locomotives and cab away at Park Street. The official took the pad of paper with my statement, thanked me and left 672. about a minute later, he comes back and says, "Diesel Ducy, I need you to step out here real quick." I go outside with him again and in a VERY quiet voice he says "I need you to put on this statement that you did not go into class track 10." I asked "where is class track 10?" He said "over by 15th St., now don't lie or let me put words in your mouth but I really need you to put this on your statement." (class track 10 is where the injury happened) me not knowing where class track 10 was put that on the statement and as I was putting it on the statement, his eyes lit up like a Christmas tree, he got a mile long grin and he started thanking me repeatedly and told me what a good employee I was, how much I just helped him out and how glad he is now that I am working in the yard. Now he takes my statement, hops in his vehicle and drives off. I go back in 672 and fellow associate asks me so, what happened? I told him and he replies, "Dude, you got your f#¢&*^g train out of track 10!!! you just signed a false statement!! You need to call your union rep at once!!!" so I did just that and about 10 minutes later my union rep calls me back and says my statement was taken care of. Ever since then, the official that told me he is so happy to have me in the yard has been trying get me for stuff ever since. One more thing about the youtube videos, I find it ironic that I am approached about the videos exactly 2 days after I turned in an injury report myself for a spider bite.
These sad stories prove that NOT ONLY IN RR MANAGEMENT, but many places, that management has NOTHING better to do than SPY on their employees and look for "petty" things to write them up and fire them for. ALSO management and engages in illegal practices (covering up injuries, safety hazards, and environmental compliance, embezzlement, illegal stock trading, and lying to get ahead) in ALMOST all large companies and the government!!
I am not trying to paint a bad picture but the truth of the matter is that LARGE CORPORATIONS HAVE NO ETHICS IN MANAGEMENT!! NOT just the RR but large corporations in general. TAKE IT FROM ME! I used to be a manager at a Wal-Mart and YOU DO NOT get ahead in a large company by being honest and working hard, YOU GET AHEAD BY WHO YOU KNOW, and stepping on OTHER people along the way by doing things like WRITING PEOPLE UP, FIRING people and kissing executive A$$!! this is why i never made it on management at Wal-Mart and this is why I will never go into management at the rr or any other large company! These companies want "cut throat" people with no morals running the show to find ways (usually dishonest or even illegal) to make money for their Shareholders which are usually greedier than the company they are investing in!! BIG BUSINESS HAS NO ETHICS!! Whether it is a Railroad, retail chain, trucking company, OIL COMPANY and ESPECIALLY OUR GOVERNMENT!! Good Honest people will NEVER get ahead. Management's role in an organization is to come in where things are running smoothly, create problems, and then fix it. basically, if it ain't broke, fix it 'til it is, now there is real job justification!!
I am just beginning to wonder: do all corporations have such crapy and sleazy management or is it just The railroad, or the VA division? I understand that rules and regulations are REQUIRED at all successful organizations to ensure safety, quality, productivity, and profits which is necessary for the success of ANY business. Management does have a job of enforcing the rules and company policies FAIRLY and UNIFORMLY (in a perfect world). Here is the issue, this is not a perfect world!! Businesses have become so big that most (not all) have lost their ethics. This is where the covering up injuries, safety hazards, and environmental compliance, embezzlement, illegal stock trading, and lying to get ahead comes in.
Everywhere I have worked, I try to follow the rules to the best of my ability. I have NEVER been treated so disrespectfully at any job I have ever worked before as I have at the rr and it sure creates a miserable and sometimes hostile work environment. I can GUARANTEE that if corporate management treated the employees with dignity and respect that A LOT and i mean A LOT more work would get done, workers would be more productive and the company as a whole would make more money, but unfortunately due to organizational politics, these people don't see this and continue to treat the employees like dog crap.. I saw on a poster at work somewhere this EXACT quote "management to the highest standard of honesty and fairness" now that is the biggest bunch of bull I have ever seen at work!!
(dieselducy now steps down off his soapbox)
In conclusion I will enlighten you on the three basic approaches to management which I learned in college.
1. Classical Approach to management: MOTTO: Management and motivation by fear and intimidation.
This style is primarily used in places like fast food restaurants, and union shops where either most of the employees don't really care about (or need) their jobs, or their jobs are protected by a 3rd party (the Union). A few small businesses also use this approach (and have a very high turnover and low success rate). example 1: McDonalds. There most of the employees are high school students who are just working there so they can get the cash to buy a walkman or GameBoy. They are not trying to support a family or pay a mortgage. They are just there to get play money so in theory, they are naturally lazy and they need to be motivated to work by looming discipline over their head. Example 2 Norfolk Southern (Union Company). workers are protected by a 3rd party which in theory protects them from unfair discipline. Due to the protection of the Union some power hungry managers feel they have their hands tied so they harass and intimidate their employees to give them a sense that they are in control. In the classical approach to management your pay and advancement is controlled by organizational politics (bosses favorite) or a union agreement (seniority)
2. Human Relations Approach: MOTTO: A happy worker is a productive worker.
This management style is a better approach!!! This is an approach where a worker that is treated with fairness, respect and dignity (and compensated accordingly) will in theory be more productive. This aspect is primarily used in small businesses (example: Southwoods Summer camp www.southwoods.com). however I'm sure that there are some large companies that use this approach Employers that use this approach will often recognize employees for their good work more rather than intimidate and spy on them for motivation. (discipline will still happen for deliberate rule violations). Managers in this setting will often be part of the team and work with the employees to make sure the job is being done right. In a human relations company your pay and advancement is dictated by your job performance and attitude rather than seniority which encourages and rewards positive work performance.
3. Human Resources Approach: MOTTO: A productive worker is a happy worker.
This management style is a great approach and is similar to human relations. This approach encourages creativity and "thinking outside the box" while still following rules and company policy. Examples of some Human Resources companies are Nintendo Of America, and Southwest Airlines. This aspect is used by both large companies and small businesses If employees are allowed to be productive they will be happier and in turn, work harder. If you give employees the tools they need to be productive, and give them the freedom to use these tools how they see fit, they will be happy with the sense of freedom the have at work in turn work harder and be very productive while maintaining a high morale and loyalty to the company Companies that use this style give their employees a certain sense of independence. They are encouraged to be creative and are rewarded for it. Like above, pay and and advancement is dictated by job performance. These companies are usually highly productive, very profitable and usually have a low turnover rate.
In closing, there are several different ways to manage employees however treating your employees with respect is the best way to go. If employees are happier, they will work harder and in turn, make a great profit for not only the company but themselves. Unfortunately, like i stated in my opinions and experiences, most companies have this motto: company and profits first, men second.
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