As everyone should be aware, after many years of the Carrier scabbing out our boring work on the BNSF, we won back the exclusive right to this work through a late 2023 Board Award.  Since that time, we have slowly ramped up to doing nearly all our own boring work, but it has not been without some struggle.  To date, we have signed several agreements with the BNSF to provide on-site training through contractors to enable crews with limited boring experience to learn the process. 

There are many members who have been very reluctant to embrace this work, for various reasons.  We understand doing something outside your comfort zone, especially in such an unforgiving environment, can be a real challenge. However, that discomfort can only be alleviated through repetition and experience.  It is the Carrier’s obligation to provide the training and resources necessary to safely do the job and we need to hold them to doing just that.  After all, if we don’t learn from our history, we are doomed to repeat it.  It was a lack of insistence on training and proper equipment which led to our loss of this work many years ago and we are adamant that we will not lose it again.  Considering all the regulatory attacks on our craft that are afoot, we need all the work we can get for the future. 

Accordingly, we are beginning to phase out  agreements to allow contractors to assist on our boring projects.  If unique situations warrant it, we will, of course, give proper consideration, but it is time we completely take ownership for our work.