VIA VANCOUVER BAGGAGE HANDLERS NO LONGER DELIVER LUGGAGE TO SLEEPERS

[Greg Menard lastredcap-FFYn/[e-mail] [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]]

At the same time that Via Rail Vancouver management told station baggage handlers to stop taking luggage to sleepers on train #2 The Canadian, staff hours were cut on some baggage handler's jobs ( or SSAs- Station Service Agent in Viaspeak). Full time redcap jobs in Vancouver were eliminated by Via Rail way back in February 1987, but for about 15 years after that some SSAs attempted to provide a redcap porter service by being out with a handcart in the station or by the taxi area. Local Via management allowed that then, and did not even care if the SSA wore a red cap, until some Via bigwigs from Montreal saw Vancouver SSAs wearing red caps. Once that was spotted by visiting Montreal brass, the local Vancouver Via managers told the staff to no longer wear a red cap as it was 'a violation of
the uniform code, and that you are SSAs, not Red Cap Porters'. Anyway, cap less SSAs were not able to provide any porter service for too long after that anyways, as
the number of SSAs was pretty well cut in half soon after ( this was around the year 2002). After that, a Via or Amtrak passenger could go to the ticket counter or baggage check area and ask for someone to come out and help them, but this could not always be done, especially at busy times. However, for many years the SSAs working the baggage room would tag luggage for the sleepers, and deliver it on to the sleeping cars of train #2. Like I reported earlier, this stopped about 2 weeks ago. I mentioned that the exception is for disabled passengers and for the 'Prestige Class' passengers the day the 'Laurentide Park' is in service, but I forgot to mention the other exception, which is for the 'Tauck Tour' company's passengers. The days that a 'Tauck Tour' departs Vancouver for Jasper, the Va
ncouver baggage handlers still deliver that group's luggage to their sleeper space. I guess that Via Rail does not want to tick off that tour outfit, as they do steady
business with Via, but at the same time some of the regular non-tour sleeper passengers have gotten very angry about the fact that they can not have their luggage taken care of. And yes, the lounge and patio are full of seniors, baggage by their side, which at boarding time they have to haul down the platform themselves, and then get the Via Rail On Board staff to lift it up the stairs and lug it in to the accommodation. What a sad sight to see.
Cheers
Greg Menard
Vancouver B.C.


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Posted by: Greg Menard <lastredcap-FFYn/***@public.gmane.org>
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