Women working in the Railroad...
In a recent post, I mentioned that I work for the railroad. I am an engineer, a locomotive engineer as of right now and have been for the last six years. I didn't start out that way on the railroad when I first started working in the railroad industry, I started out in Mechanical's corporate offices. I was the first female manager to work among men at that level. My job there was to take the old antiquated ways of paper and put everything electronic, I created databases, systems, even a handheld device for inspections. I will be honest out of all the departments I have worked here, this was by far, my favorite. I learned a lot from the men I worked with. Before starting this job, I had always worked private sector, so this was very new to me, and I knew nothing about transportation, nothing about trains, I did, however, know a lot about databases, systems, just about any software you could throw at me, as well as business processes. So coming here was great, not only was I learning new things, I was able to teach people in the industry new things as well. Being here was exciting and absolutely joyful... I remember once a manager walking past my office, asking me why I was always so happy at work; my response: it isn't work when you're doing something you love, he just shook his head.
As I was doing the things, I loved in mechanical, higher-ups, started noticing and shortly after that, I was being asked to do things for other departments, Human Resources, the Law Department, the Engineering department, and I was put on quite a few committees. To be honest, the more I was doing, the more I excelled, the more I excelled and the busier I got, the happier I was. After about a year in mechanical, I was allowed to create a system that would be used company-wide. Which also meant, I would leave mechanical and be given my own department, which they named On-Line Training. My job there was to create a system where I could put company training for all departments online, so our employees could do there training from home, or anywhere. It was absolutely fun. They gave me five years to create this system and start putting training modules online, but I was up and running in eight months. I couldn't for the life of me figure out why they would give me five years to create a system like this other than they just didn't know enough and I thought about how if I were still in the private sector a five-year system project would have gotten me fire. The time was excessive. While I was doing this system, I worked with a lot of departments, including the Rules department, that was a fun bunch. Love every single one of those men.
After I had the system up and running, I decided I wanted to really learn about the railroad, so I left management, and became a brakeman, then a Yard Master, a Promoted Conductor and finally a Locomotive engineer. This side of the railroad wasn't easy, by any means. I learned a lot of new things, I physically worked really hard to learn everything I needed to, to ensure I was always safe. The sad part is the men at this level, could care less if a female wanted to learn, they cared more about the fact that a female was now doing the same job they do, and they didn't like it. They didn't like it one bit.
People often asked me how it is working where I work and doing what I do, and let me tell you this part isn't easy to even say out loud. But if you're a woman and you work anywhere that is dominated by men, top that off with dominated by insecure men, imagine the hostile, sometimes, scared, uneasy feeling you can have just getting up in the morning not knowing what may happen today. These blue coats, which are my conductors, are cruel and say whatever they want and do whatever they want with no real consequence. I've been physically hurt on this job, bullied, harassed, called out of my name, I've been told to die already! Rumors spread about me, gone years with not one person even saying hello to me. Had I been a meek and weak woman, I would probably be dead by now. I've seen a lot of co-workers in this company take their own lives, because of fewer things than what these men have put me through. One, in particular, has told people he wished I would die already. Most recently he took a job I was on just to antagonize me. Problem with this company is that out here on the non-management side of things, managers just let things be and cross their fingers, hoping the situation just goes away. They don't fix it, and they brand you the trouble maker for even saying anything.
Recently, I was suspended for thirty days without pay. My conductor forgot to do something and because I was the engineer on the job I was just as culpable as he was. The only thing is it feels like the only one that paid the price was me. I got my engineer's license taken from me and I was not allowed to work for thirty days, he went on vacation and came back to work as a brakeman instead of a conductor, which means he probably made more money than when he was a conductor.
This company wants people to have high morale, but they are unjust in how they assess discipline and expect people to just keep doing what they are told. I was suspended for thirty days because of a mistake my conductor made, a few months ago an engineer willfully violated rules, that could have hurt the public may be even killed people had they derailed the train, and they got the same discipline - thirty days.
It feels like there is no grey in the matter it's just black and white. I'm not sure how much longer I will be here. I am starting to lose faith in a company I once loved to be a part of.
How does someone that could quickly fix their antiquated ways of doing business, have so much trouble in trying to fix their antiquated minds?
Remember...Be Inspired to Be Better, to Listen and to Dream Big!
Sending mad Love to all...
...Mayra
As I was doing the things, I loved in mechanical, higher-ups, started noticing and shortly after that, I was being asked to do things for other departments, Human Resources, the Law Department, the Engineering department, and I was put on quite a few committees. To be honest, the more I was doing, the more I excelled, the more I excelled and the busier I got, the happier I was. After about a year in mechanical, I was allowed to create a system that would be used company-wide. Which also meant, I would leave mechanical and be given my own department, which they named On-Line Training. My job there was to create a system where I could put company training for all departments online, so our employees could do there training from home, or anywhere. It was absolutely fun. They gave me five years to create this system and start putting training modules online, but I was up and running in eight months. I couldn't for the life of me figure out why they would give me five years to create a system like this other than they just didn't know enough and I thought about how if I were still in the private sector a five-year system project would have gotten me fire. The time was excessive. While I was doing this system, I worked with a lot of departments, including the Rules department, that was a fun bunch. Love every single one of those men.
After I had the system up and running, I decided I wanted to really learn about the railroad, so I left management, and became a brakeman, then a Yard Master, a Promoted Conductor and finally a Locomotive engineer. This side of the railroad wasn't easy, by any means. I learned a lot of new things, I physically worked really hard to learn everything I needed to, to ensure I was always safe. The sad part is the men at this level, could care less if a female wanted to learn, they cared more about the fact that a female was now doing the same job they do, and they didn't like it. They didn't like it one bit.
People often asked me how it is working where I work and doing what I do, and let me tell you this part isn't easy to even say out loud. But if you're a woman and you work anywhere that is dominated by men, top that off with dominated by insecure men, imagine the hostile, sometimes, scared, uneasy feeling you can have just getting up in the morning not knowing what may happen today. These blue coats, which are my conductors, are cruel and say whatever they want and do whatever they want with no real consequence. I've been physically hurt on this job, bullied, harassed, called out of my name, I've been told to die already! Rumors spread about me, gone years with not one person even saying hello to me. Had I been a meek and weak woman, I would probably be dead by now. I've seen a lot of co-workers in this company take their own lives, because of fewer things than what these men have put me through. One, in particular, has told people he wished I would die already. Most recently he took a job I was on just to antagonize me. Problem with this company is that out here on the non-management side of things, managers just let things be and cross their fingers, hoping the situation just goes away. They don't fix it, and they brand you the trouble maker for even saying anything.
Recently, I was suspended for thirty days without pay. My conductor forgot to do something and because I was the engineer on the job I was just as culpable as he was. The only thing is it feels like the only one that paid the price was me. I got my engineer's license taken from me and I was not allowed to work for thirty days, he went on vacation and came back to work as a brakeman instead of a conductor, which means he probably made more money than when he was a conductor.
This company wants people to have high morale, but they are unjust in how they assess discipline and expect people to just keep doing what they are told. I was suspended for thirty days because of a mistake my conductor made, a few months ago an engineer willfully violated rules, that could have hurt the public may be even killed people had they derailed the train, and they got the same discipline - thirty days.
It feels like there is no grey in the matter it's just black and white. I'm not sure how much longer I will be here. I am starting to lose faith in a company I once loved to be a part of.
How does someone that could quickly fix their antiquated ways of doing business, have so much trouble in trying to fix their antiquated minds?
Remember...Be Inspired to Be Better, to Listen and to Dream Big!
Sending mad Love to all...
...Mayra
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