Mechanics are not needed says Via Rail
There’s a consensus that the economy has issues right now. We’ve been warned that there will be unpleasant decisions due to the downturn. Still, is there a rule of thumb that says “stupid people with management jobs are safe”? This evening, an article in the local newspaper mentioned that our national rail system is laying off a certain number of workers, and that the list targets the mechanics who do regular maintenance.
I’ve travelled enough by rail to know that trains break. Often enough that they have had people to tighten the bolts and oil the moving parts on payroll, doing the checklist on a regular basis. Somehow, it seems unlikely that a shrinking profit chart comes with a magic wand in the margin, assuring that nothing will go wrong with the shaking swaying wagons in future.
Should we all feel safer now? The books will look better for the annual report, but that train headed your way might not stop (it doesn’t matter unless you’re a passenger?) Could someone point out that trains are big mechanical monsters, and the people that keep things running are a tad more important than the fellow with his photo on the press release. Just a thought.
The American owners of “what used to be Radio Shack” are now declaring bankruptcy. So far, the Canadian properties are safe, but something tells me that finding a source for the odd switch or capacitor is going to get tougher. Maybe I’m the only one who notices, but when I tried to purchase something in the local store last fall, the clerk didn’t want to sell it to me. Counterintuitive retail practices.
