Red Cap Situtation in Chicago

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Eric in East County

Eric in East County

OBS Chief
AU Supporting Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2016
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974
Location
East San Diego County
When we were in the Chicago Union Terminal last Monday (7-12-21) there were only two (2) Red Caps with carts available to drive passengers & their luggage to their trains. The Metropolitan Lounge was quite crowded with people waiting for their trains to start boarding, and not everybody who wanted/needed a ride to their train could be accommodated. We’re not sure if this was a temporary situation or the new “business as usual” way of doing things in CUT, but it needs to be fixed ASAP if Amtrak wants to keep its customers happy.

Eric & Pat
 
Eric in East County said:
When we were in the Chicago Union Terminal last Monday (7-12-21) there were only two (2) Red Caps with carts available to drive passengers & their luggage to their trains. The Metropolitan Lounge was quite crowded with people waiting for their trains to start boarding, and not everybody who wanted/needed a ride to their train could be accommodated. We’re not sure if this was a temporary situation or the new “business as usual” way of doing things in CUT, but it needs to be fixed ASAP if Amtrak wants to keep its customers happy.

Eric & Pat
Click to expand...
Please contact Customer Relations and let them know about your view of this situation.

Chicago probably needs more Redcaps than any other Station due to the crowded conditions, so many LD Trains leaving close together in the PM, the Narrow Platforms and the New System that basically leaves people on their own to find their Train and Car once they're on the Platforms.
 
They are just following the lead of the Gov't that owns them.

Whenever the Gov't talks about reducing spending they always talk about reducing police, firemen and teachers and/or reducing benefits for retirees and such - when's the last time you heard them talk about reducing the number of politicians or reducing their salaries?

Red Cap Service is an essential service that Amtrak needs to increase, not decrease, as they try to rebuild ridership.
 
It could be they don't have enough red caps now because some were laid off during the pandemic and have chosen not to return. It would be interesting to see if those jobs are posted for hiring. I mean it's actually possible the lack of red caps is not due to giant conspiracy to shut down the long distance system.
 
Last September while waiting in the Metropolitan Lounge for the eastbound Cardinal (1745 departure) we were waiting for the loading announcement and Red Cap assistance. As 1730 approached, hearing no announcement, I enquired at the desk. I was told they were all "off" for the afternoon!
My wife (with mobility issues - walker) and I and our luggage had to make our way to the track on our own. It was not one of the closer tracks.
We did make it to the train in time!
 
I recall a Redcap shortage in Chicago for at least a few years.
 
I witnessed it personally when I arrived on 6 on 7/6. I observed several people needing assistance. I saw one lady leaning against a post in distress because she could not manage her luggage. I notified the gate agents. They casually said redcaps were on the way. They could care less if the lady was in distress. Because of this situation Rosalyn and I will not be taking Amtrak to St. Louis.
 
Chicago has been notorious for insufficient redcap staffing for as long as I can recall. Los Angeles is the best, in my experience.

I do wonder whether redcaps who were furloughed will be back. On my trip last month on the Empire Builder, one of the dining car staff, newly back from furlough, said she had to think twice before coming back, as she had been working at Costco after being furloughed. Nothing against Costco, but that hardly seems like a job that would compete with Amtrak in desirability. Certainly the pay would be less, but perhaps the working conditions and security of employment at Costco made it sufficiently attractive to make returning to Amtrak a tough call for her.
 
MikefromCrete said:
It could be they don't have enough red caps now because some were laid off during the pandemic and have chosen not to return. It would be interesting to see if those jobs are posted for hiring. I mean it's actually possible the lack of red caps is not due to giant conspiracy to shut down the long distance system.
Click to expand...
This may be part of the problem. The Redcap is a "bid" position whose craft includes (at least) ticket agents, ushers, baggage personnel, etc. Thus, after furlough, if they are short 10 people, then they have to cut 2-3 from each job category so they have enough for minimum staffing in each position...And then Management uses their favorite line..."do the best you can" to the employees...
 
I believe that Amtrak cost cutting may be responsible for a smaller Chicago Union Station staff. In the old Met lounge there was even a Redcap in the baggage room where you could check your luggage. In the new lounge you put your luggage there yourself. While the Red Cap salary is about $35K/yr. the benefits are very good and if they hustle can make a decent amount on tips. If I can guess; it looks like Amtrak just doesn't want to hire more Red Caps.
 
I wouldn't be surprised if this situation exists elsewhere besides Chicago and is an Amtrak-wide issue - I've seen some trip reports recently where New York red caps appeared to also be understaffed and the situation there is now more complicated because you have two boarding locations to deal with.
 
dlagrua said:
I believe that Amtrak cost cutting may be responsible for a smaller Chicago Union Station staff. In the old Met lounge there was even a Redcap in the baggage room where you could check your luggage. In the new lounge you put your luggage there yourself. While the Red Cap salary is about $35K/yr. the benefits are very good and if they hustle can make a decent amount on tips. If I can guess; it looks like Amtrak just doesn't want to hire more Red Caps.
Click to expand...
Will you stop blaming mgmt for everything. 2020-2021 is not a normal time. We’re, still, going thru a pandemic. Amtrak is not the only company having staffing issues.
 
lordsigma said:
I wouldn't be surprised if this situation exists elsewhere besides Chicago and is an Amtrak-wide issue - I've seen some trip reports recently where New York red caps appeared to also be understaffed and the situation there is now more complicated because you have two boarding locations to deal with.
Click to expand...
I find it hard to believe that (at least in NY), Amtrak is having trouble filling Red Cap vacancies. When I worked at NYP, the Red Cap position was the most coveted of all station jobs. And with tips, the best paying by far. A Red Cap told me he came to work with empty pockets, and if he didn't earn enough in his shift to pay for his carfare home, and for his dinner, he said 'shame on me'....
 
dlagrua said:
I believe that Amtrak cost cutting may be responsible for a smaller Chicago Union Station staff. In the old Met lounge there was even a Redcap in the baggage room where you could check your luggage. In the new lounge you put your luggage there yourself. While the Red Cap salary is about $35K/yr. the benefits are very good and if they hustle can make a decent amount on tips. If I can guess; it looks like Amtrak just doesn't want to hire more Red Caps.
Click to expand...

And what is your proof that Red Caps make 35k a year? Cause they don't.....

And considering that Amtrak is hiring for Red Caps, you're wrong.

AmtrakBlue said:
Will you stop blaming mgmt for everything. 2020-2021 is not a normal time. We’re, still, going thru a pandemic. Amtrak is not the only company having staffing issues.
Click to expand...

Very true!
 
In the past we’ve never had a problem finding a redcap in Chicago. Sounds like that’s changed. I’ve always felt slightly guilty about it since we are able bodied with minimal luggage but it insures early and quick access to the train and well worth the tip. If they are short handed maybe their services should only be available to those who have physical limitations.

We usually find a recap in the station shortly after getting off our inbound train in the morning. If we see one who is not actively working with a passenger we make arrangements to meet him in the lounge for the outbound train at an agreed time.
 
The first time we rode Amtrak to NWK I was with my oldest daughter. We did not how things worked or where to find our checked luggage. There was a Red Cap on the platform helping another passenger and heard us talking. He told us to follow him and he took our carry-ons from us and put them on the cart he had the other personas stuff on. We followed him to the baggage area and he got our checked luggage for us.

We were a bit surprised since we were riding coach.

We tried to tip him but he would not accept it - he told me the other person had given him more than enough.
 
railiner said:
A good Red Cap working Penn Station, New York, should be able to pull in a six figure income, with tips. Airport Sky Caps do, also. Being a Red Cap in New York, is arguably the most demanding of any station, both in terms of business, as well as the working conditions. Where in places like Los Angeles, the Red Caps can drive a cart, carryng their passenger's and their baggage up ramps to trainside, NYP Red Caps have to develop high skill level's of balancing a ton of bags on a narrow hand truck, and take them up or down narrow escalator's to trackside, along with escorting their passengers, and operating (reversing) escalators simultaneously to prevent others from following them. And they have to juggle several "jobs" (different passenger's) at the same time, and if trains are delayed that further complicates things....believe me, they earn every penny they receive...;)
Click to expand...

And if Roger Thornhill is on the train they are working, they could earn a nice handful of folding money for the "loan" of their uniform.
 
Eric in East County said:
When we were in the Chicago Union Terminal last Monday (7-12-21) there were only two (2) Red Caps with carts available to drive passengers & their luggage to their trains. The Metropolitan Lounge was quite crowded with people waiting for their trains to start boarding, and not everybody who wanted/needed a ride to their train could be accommodated. We’re not sure if this was a temporary situation or the new “business as usual” way of doing things in CUT, but it needs to be fixed ASAP if Amtrak wants to keep its customers happy.

Eric & Pat
Click to expand...
This has been a problem since Richard Anderson. His administration illegally cut Red Cap staffing at Chicago below the necessary minimum to handle disabled passengers arriving on the LSL. We experienced this multiple times.

I see this has not been reversed yet. I am glad to see they're hiring, though.
 

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