Workers in the rail industry are familiar with the harsh reality of limbo time where time on duty is seldom paid for and not counted towards the total hours of service. Limbo time is a carrier’s bean counter dream but the side effects can’t be overlooked.

In typical two-earner families with children, the combination of limbo time and carrier policies make it nearly impossible, for the spouse, to get a regular job. Worse, countless divorces are a direct result of the work demands imposed by the railroad carriers, in the first place. This has a profound effect on the quality of life for rail workers and their loved ones.

Let’s consider the following limbo time effects on family life:

• Limbo time keeps train crews away from home for no valid reason and in turn, fractures families;
• Crew members can’t predict, after a 12 hour shift, how much longer limbo time will keep them on the train meaning they’re often unavailable for life’s common events, like making a doctor’s appointment, attending a religious service or tending to any other important personal business;
• Limbo time, combined with hours of service and time spent preparing for and traveling to an on-duty point often result in crews being awake 24 hours… or more;
• Limbo time, combined with the carriers’ availability policies, forces crew members to consume most 24 hour periods working, eating and sleeping with no time for family or other activities required for healthy physical and mental well-being;
• Sadly, limbo time also causes children to suffer from reduced parental supervision which can have an adverse impact on society when the child grows into his or her teens and then, adulthood;

The United Transportation Union has eloquently exposed the limbo time effects on the family life of its members but that hasn’t been enough for the US Congress to take decisive actions to fix this major labour, health, security and social problem.

People’s internal clocks (also called circadian rythms) can’t be tampered without risking accumulated fatigue, stress and health issues.

Things need to change, sooner than later.

Tags: limbo time, family life, divorce, health, security, children, rail workers

For those unfamiliar with this rail industry-specific terminology, limbo time refers to the time on duty that is seldom paid for -and- not counted towards hours of service. Simply said, it’s that time when a worker is exhausted and therefore, more dangerous to himself, his colleagues and the public.

The US Congress is expected to look into this widespread problem, causing (among other things) more train collisions, caused by human factors, in 2006 than any other year in recent history. Until then, the limbo time issue continues to be a major security problem.

Obviously, limbo time or similarly named situations where workers work longer than expected to end up being a danger to themselves and others, is a problem in transportation, at large — not just in the rail industry.

While limbo time eats away at the quality of life of the employee and his loved ones, it’s the security issue that should command swift action to end this situation.

A train accident is already bad enough, per se. Learning that over 90 of them were directly caused by human errors (generally related to limbo time issues) in 2006 alone should prompt the US Congress to stop talking and start moving.

While carriers are unwilling to eliminate limbo time, mainly because they multiply their profits because of it, it’s up to the worker’s unions, the workers themselves and the general public to put some pressure on their elected leaders — it’s also very sad to see the carriers acting so carelessly about their employees’ and the public’s security.

Tags: limbo time, rail workers, rail industry, carriers, transport, utu, congress