Annual vacations

July 9, 2006

Brothers and Sisters,

Further to the attached. I have found out that the assistant TP&E manager in SOSA is also on vacation at this time, as well as the Vice President of Engineering (in chage of TP&E).

So, in SOSA (Southern Ontario Service Area) for TP&E....the assistant manager, the manager, the general manager and the vice president were all on annual vacation at the same time. The crews are in full swing and allegedly at peak production. Our members are being told that they can't be spared for AV at this time in this area, and yet everyone in the manager ranks, exept some frontline supervisors, are gone to enjoy their vacations. Wow!!

Though the other territories are not as bad as SOSA TP&E right now, I've been getting quite a few replies from across the country, telling me that management is gone in droves at this time of year.

I am somewhat amazed after reading the company demands this round and their cry for crew stability and tighter restrictions on our membership, that they would allow all their managers to just pack up at the busiest time of year and head off together on vacation. Unless they feel that most of these positions in management are not necessary anyway.

We are compiling a list of how many managers take their vacations at the same time, so please let me (or your Director) know of the dates that your manager or supervisor is away. I believe that this information will be useful if the "Operating ratio initiative" group decides to talk about cutting our jobs, because I'm sure that this bunch won't be examining their own. As a shareholder, I believe that this information maybe should be presented in full at the next shareholders meeting.

I do believe that there are a lot of committed mamagers at CPR and that many of their jobs are viable and important, but I also have to look at the way some of the other managers run their departments and just shake my head. Especially in light of the way they treat our membership.

One last thing, I would like every TCRCMWED member that was not allowed a preferred vacation date this year, to please contact myself or your Director. We will be addressing this issue at negotiations and beyond, and we will see if we can get it straightened out.

Stay safe and stay strong,

Bill Brehl
President
TCRC MWED