Dateline October 10 - 11, 2021
10/10/21
“Amtrak northeast service interruption due to crews calling out sick over vax mandate.”
-Lynn
…
I have recently received a general job offer from Union Pacific railroad—which means they are desperate, as all they know about me is that I ride trains and am 58 and Caucasian.
As Lynn sent me the above text, the young man I was visiting with, who works in the legal profession now, but once was a train conductor, and mind you is only 29, looking just like Jeb Stuart of old, received a text from his former employer:
“Could you please consider returning to work long enough to show these people how to operate a train?”
…
As I pondered this news this fair Utah morning, I received the following text, from the healthcare system that I did not reenlist with two years ago but still has me on the text list apparently. Mind you, that the following text is sent to me every month since May 2021:
“MedStar Family Choice members can now get a 90-day supply of their chronic medications. Tell your doctor you want 90 days, not 30 days! (antibiotics, pain medication, mental health medication and some other medicines cannot fill for 90-days)”
…
What that message says to me is:
“Old meat-sacks with standard afflictions, step aside to make way for the ARDS lock-down crazy train.”
Of course, this issue is, I should think, at least equally affected by staffing shortages.
…
As for Amtrak staffing, the nightmare of spending 18 months behind a mask for crew, many of whom wear glasses that now constantly fog up in a setting where customer service and crowd control are mixed with deadly moving machinery has taken its toll. Almost all of these employees I have interacted with are courteous, helpful, middle-aged and stressed out. I talked with numerous conductors who have 30-plus years in.
My guess is that retirements are running hot right now and that sick time is being used for hunting a non-mandate job opportunity for others. Keep in mind that in the northeast the ratio of nightly hued saints is even with that of the pale devils, and that these people do not trust government any more than a redneck. Speaking of which, numerous Amtrak ghosts are rural people.
I had noted earlier in the year that conductors used their position in control of passenger movement to clear a car for their own use, where they can go unmasked. I suspect some employees, particularly conductors, are now jumping train to freight services while other retire.
Truckers are getting told they must get a shot or else where my cousin works, so, I expect they will also be short staffed soon.
We live in a tourist area and there were help wanted signs up all summer, something I've never seen before and I know a number of places are shortstaffed, even now. My hubby's work is short a number of staff members and they used to be a sought after employer.
I got out of medical 5 years ago, after they made flu shots mandatory. I'm so thankful I did and that I work at night and alone. Nobody bugs me about this nonsense.
Keep wondering when the other shoe is going to drop, as far as the economy and or whatever the next crisis will be. Feels like a death by a thousand cuts.