Well, after after another frustrating year of making 50ish K. I saw both CP and CN Rail were hiring, double the money once trained. CP was supposed to hire me in October with $5000 bonus, last communication was Nov 17. They wouldn't answer my email or answer the phone or return messages. We are a major CN hub here in Melville, expensive place to live for a tiny City with a half Canadian Tire. My house is partially paid for and locked in for 3 years and 4 months of the 5 year Mortgage term at 2.19%. With my Wife on disability, something has to give, money is really tight. So I applied at CN, made it through to the drug test, don't drink or do any drugs, passed along with the background check. So CP Rail contacts me out of the blue, nothing at Wynyard till July. That is fine, I asked about training wage and the bonus, waffling on the signing bonus. Apology for me feeling ignored, claimed her boss sent me an email to train in January. I checked my email and junk everyday, BS. Multiple email and phone calls ignored. I called, she was snotty and clarified the 1129.45 per week but the bonus has to be approved by her bosses boss. Supposedly talked about it on Friday. Still heard nothing. I was wanting to move closer to Fishing Lake. Meanwhile CN offered me a job at $900 a week but 5 mins from my house. We had many discussions, my garage here sucks, to small and uninsulated, house needs more as well and this house needs work, some things easily fixed, like the roof, others like the 75 amp service, my garage is part of that, not so much. We have added 10 grand in windows and doors, never seen such bad sliding windows when we moved in, furnace, hot water tanks and fences also added. I hate how close the neighbours are but I hate people. Either way, we decided on CN and I agreed to start training in Winnipeg on March 13th. They informed me now the training wage is $1180 gross a week due to the collective bargaining agreement. So instead of making the same or slightly less than my current job, it will be a slight raise over driving fuel truck. By fall, I should be making double my current wage.
