Thoughts on CP? Does anyone work at HQ?

[kwjent]

Hey,

I would appreciate any feedback on CP. I'm curious if anyone can shed some light on the pros/cons and what the morale at the new HQ is like.

I know they did several layoffs, etc. Any perspectives are greatly appreciated! I know their benefits aren't as good as O&G, however a great opportunity to advance into management.

[CapnCrunch]

Conoco Phillips?
CP Rail?
Circus Porn?

[G-ZUS]

Calgary Police?

[mr2mike]

Originally posted by kwjent
I know their benefits aren't as good as O&G, however a great opportunity to advance into management.

For starters, get the acronym right.
CPS
Can't make upper management without knowing this.

[spikerS]

pretty sure he is talking about CP rail.

I know 2 people that have or are working there, and both absolutely hated it. One was finally able to retire to GTFO and the other never misses an opportunity to bitch about how awful it is there.

Even when I mentioned I might look there for a job, they both vehemently told me to stay away.

Apparently their new CEO has fucked everything over.

[variance]

well, he did increase share price from $50 to $184.

[mr2mike]

Originally posted by spikerS

Apparently their new CEO has fucked everything over.

Originally posted by variance
well, he did increase share price from $50 to $184.

+1 seems like he tightened the ship up.

[dirtsniffer]

Spikers friends are both probably in the union. lol

[rx7boi]

Morale at the new HQ? Who cares if it's in Ogden or back in Gulf Canada Square?

Hunter Harrison took over and turned things around. He made huge cutbacks, fired a bunch of un-needed people, and now with govt forcing CP to transport more product, it's easy to see why they went from $80 bucks a share to almost $190 now. I sold mine at $140, thinking it wouldn't really go more than $160


The benefits are okay. You'll have your basic health covered, but I never really looked into what my full package contained. I don't recall having an overflow health or wellness spending account for anything else but I know they paid for my gym membership.

What exactly are you looking to do? Do you want to get into the financial side for CP or do you want to work in the trainyards? CP likes to promote internally for the most part. Most positions above Director are brought in from other companies by other Directors and GM's.

[hampstor]

Assuming you're refering to Canadian Pacific ...

Upward opportunities are available - there are a lot of old-timers (25+ year employees) who were waiting to get packaged out (which will never happen), or are coasting to retirement right now.

FWIW, this was 2 years ago - benefits were the usual 3-tier level of service you get to pick, and they would cover a certain amount of the premiums based on a percentage of your salary. Excess was put into an HSA. DC pension contribution scaled based on experience between 3%/3% to 5%/5% (employee contribution/company match).

[mmmmm_DSM]

My dad worked there for 35 years. After working with the new CEO he cashed out his pension and booked town.

Morale is really low around there and everyone I know who is still there totally hates their lives..

Then again I did buy stock at $70 and sold it when it hit $200, so I cant complain...

Depending on what department you work for these things vary, I know the operations folks hate their lives but cant speak much about other departments

[8baller8]

new CEO is pretty much kicking union ass.....pretty crazy stock appreciation. He's obviously doing something right.

[bourge73]

Originally posted by mmmmm_DSM
My dad worked there for 35 years. After working with the new CEO he cashed out his pension and booked town.

Morale is really low around there and everyone I know who is still there totally hates their lives..

Then again I did buy stock at $70 and sold it when it hit $200, so I cant complain...

Depending on what department you work for these things vary, I know the operations folks hate their lives but cant speak much about other departments

You nailed it. But remember as a term of your employment
you WILL either get qualified as a Conductor, Locomotive Engineer, or a RTC. You want to drive or control trains? yes or no. You will be required to do it. Once qualified you will do you day job and run trains on the weekends or 2 weeks of it (out of town) and 2 weeks catching up your day job......

[sheik_yerbouti]

I have 2 friends who were non-union management employees at CP. Both enjoyed good bonuses over the last little while. Both have left CP because it's really a miserable place to work.

[~Leah~]

Originally posted by spikerS
pretty sure he is talking about CP rail.

I know 2 people that have or are working there, and both absolutely hated it. One was finally able to retire to GTFO and the other never misses an opportunity to bitch about how awful it is there.

Even when I mentioned I might look there for a job, they both vehemently told me to stay away.

Apparently their new CEO has fucked everything over.

Originally posted by mmmmm_DSM

Morale is really low around there and everyone I know who is still there totally hates their lives..

Then again I did buy stock at $70 and sold it when it hit $200, so I cant complain...

Depending on what department you work for these things vary, I know the operations folks hate their lives but cant speak much about other departments

Originally posted by sheik_yerbouti
I have 2 friends who were non-union management employees at CP. Both enjoyed good bonuses over the last little while. Both have left CP because it's really a miserable place to work.

My fiance was one of the Chief Dispatchers that was laid off and he was soooooo happy about getting paid out to leave. Hunter has killed all morale and everyone my fiance is still friends with that works there hates their lives. They are working everyone into the ground since laying off so many people. No more schedules - you're working 15-18 hour days, 7 days a week, and if you try to speak up about it, they'll fire you.

[01RedDX]

.

[rx7boi]

Hunter did the same thing at CN.

Fired a bunch of people, told everyone who didn't get fired that they now get to pick up their coworkers' work as well.

[finboy]

I consulted there, lots of non-union people were not very happy, it seemed like a pretty toxic work environment

[Isaiah]

I was there under Fred Green before Harrison took over. It was not a pleasant work environment even then so I can't imagine now.

[Go4Long]

Originally posted by mmmmm_DSM
My dad worked there for 35 years. After working with the new CEO he cashed out his pension and booked town.

Morale is really low around there and everyone I know who is still there totally hates their lives..

Then again I did buy stock at $70 and sold it when it hit $200, so I cant complain...

Depending on what department you work for these things vary, I know the operations folks hate their lives but cant speak much about other departments

FWIW I'm in operations and love my life... I even took their transfer offer when my department was cut (which is actually the best move I've made with the company)...

Much like a lot of high stress jobs, it is what you make of it. I know that for what they pay me the expectations of working hard aren't unreasonable...the real issue I see is that in Alberta people are generally used to the Oil and Gas mentality of being paid $100k a year to do a $50k a year job (and no, I'm not talking about rig hands and the likes, since I know they work their bag off for it).

If you're looking for "easy" money, CP isn't for you...that I'll agree with. And when the cuts were happening, I was just like everyone else in there, looking for new work.