Vacation Change Reversal

For the sake of appearance ACRE notified some members via e-mail of the organization's intention to revert to the previous vacation pick system and eliminate the vacation wheel, members were encouraged to respond to this survey with their preference of pick selection.

ACRE included the vacation wheel in the current contract in an effort to lure the younger members to vote yes for the contract. After 2 vacation picks with the vacation wheel in affect, ACRE is proposing a return to the previous pick system. The wheel did provide the youngest members to receive at least one decent week per vacation pick. Many senior members were induced to pick a week they probably did not want, and in numerous instances the middle seniority members received a worse vacation pick with the wheel. After this system's implementation, whether or not the affect was positive or negative on a member's pick, members are now accustomed to the system, so why the return to the prior method?

Do not believe ACRE if they claim it is because the company wants the change, Metro North does not care who goes on vacation in any given week, only that the quota is met for each week for members going on vacation. If Metro North did want the vacation pick system modified, then why would the organization meekly comply? The answer to this question should be obvious. ACRE ensured the issue became a collective bargaining issue. Should each member have a vote regarding the proposed change? Several ACRE followers have recently informed other members that the return to the previous pick system is “a done deal”. A term that cannot be used in the same sentence with ACRE is “union democracy”.

Local 77