November 2010 - Amtrak

4 | November 2010 Amtrak Ink
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Mechanical production cycle, which
affects the program work scopes. At
press time, federal appropriations were
enacted to fund Amtrak at the same
level as FY ’10 under a Continuing
Resolution that is slated to expire on
Dec. 3.
“The balance we’re trying to maintain
is the completion of ARRA work,
and the reality of the timing and amount
of our federal appropriation, with our
desire to provide excellent mechanical
service as investment in passenger rail
grows,” said Chief Mechanical Officer
Mario Bergeron.
In late October, Joe Boardman,
Bergeron and other senior management
met with shop craft union general chairmen
to discuss how to collaborate to
better promote Amtrak’s mechanical
service — and win competitive bids —
to generate more mechanical work. One
example of that kind of opportunity is
the truck work currently being done for
GE/Metro North at Beech Grove.
“We need to separate ‘union business’
from ‘the business’ so that we can
focus on doing the right thing for our
mechanical facilities in the long run,”
said Gary Maslanka, Transport Workers
Union of America, Railroad Division
director.
Bear maintenance facility employees work on an Amfleet car. The
work being done by employees at the facility will result in
returning 60 Amfleet cars to revenue service.
Patience and Luck Result in Huge Win
“We must come
together on our mutual
interest in growing the
mechanical services side of
the business in this increasingly
competitive
environment,” added
International Association
of Machinists and
Aerospace Workers
General Chairman Mike
Hill.
The discussion at the
meeting centered on the
importance of management
and Amtrak unions
working collaboratively to
make Amtrak more competitive,
while
acknowledging that some
business opportunities take
time to develop and
produce results.
“There are some things
that are not within our
control, but what we can do
is work together to more
aggressively pursue opportunities
to sell our
mechanical services and
make Amtrak more competitive,”
said President
and CEO Joe Boardman. ■
What does it feel like to become a millionaire overnight? To find out, ask the group of 15 employees and retirees
from the Beech Grove Maintenance Facility, who together won a $34.5 million jackpot in the Hoosier Lotto on Oct.
30 — the third largest prize in the game’s history.
The group has been contributing $4 per person each week to buy lottery tickets for the last six years. Congratulations
to each one of you on your good fortune!