Re: Mechanical Department Crafts at Durango, 1950's-60's

Having spent time on the railroad both inside and outside a union, I can say that I've seen just as much "not my job" mentality in a non-union shop as one with represented crafts. It's very easy for people outside that protection to nitpick all the faults or cons a union has, but it's still a very needed means of representation for work that has been chipped at the last couple decades. I would argue that if you read two separate accounts on a day-in-the-life of a steam shop worker or operating crew, you wouldn't notice the difference in experience or pride in the job if you took one today from one of the guys currently working or someone from back in the 1940's. The biggest difference would come out after work when everyone has a couple beers in them.

John Hillier