Dec 6, 2007

Evansville/CSX in Winter Haven

We recently heard from a CSX union member who was upset by the purchase in Winter Haven of the hub site by Evansville Railroad. No one to this point has been able to figure out just why a company would have another company buy a hub for them. What we were told is a tell-tell sign of how CSX may work. It seems Evansville, who is refered to as a shortline, is mostly controlled by CSX. With 3 of the 7 board members on Evansville board being CSX executives and CSX having the option to purchase or call in more than 75% of Evansville stock if CSX wanted to. And Evansville from what we are told is non union. If Evansville stays in control, more than likely, the employees who are now working in the Orlando and Tampa hubs will be offered a transfer to who knows where. If they don't take it, they have effectly resigned. The new employees being non union will be paid less than the original workers and still have to be brought in from other places because most people in Polk County can't run an intermodal hub. If CSX is willing to do this to their own employees, what does this say about the average citizen? I don't know if this is what is happening, but the union men seem to think so!