The unions blast the Class I railroads’ public statements on the railroads’ efforts to bolster employee head count in a filing to the Surface Transportation Board.
Republican lawmakers blame the Biden-backed $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill for boosting inflation and vow to step up oversight on how the money is spent.
Employment levels in June for the U.S. operations of the Class I railroads held steady from May, although U.S. rail volumes grew by one-fifth over the same period.
Employment levels at the U.S. operations of Class I railroads were flat to higher from April to May. But year-over-year totals show a nearly 3% decline. Meanwhile, the Class I railroads say they’re actively hiring and training in 2021.
April employment levels at the U.S. operations of the Class I railroads were up 0.42% from March but down 7% year-over-year.
U.S. operations of the Class I railroads employed fewer employees in 2020 than in any year since at least 2012. Headcount was 14% lower than in 2019.
October’s total employment level among the U.S. Class Is was the second lowest for 2020 as railroads implement PSR.
The railroad didn’t say where the layoffs occurred, but they affect union and management employees across the 23-state network.
An increase in U.S. rail traffic pulled headcount higher in July.
The reduction in employee levels comes as the railroads deploy cost-cutting measures to match network capacity needs with market demand.
Pandemic-induced rail volume declines, operational changes among reasons for falling employment figures
The coronavirus pandemic and declining coal volumes hit employee levels at freight and passenger rail companies.
Employee counts at U.S. Class I railroads continue to be lower in 2020 than 2019, although total headcount rose slightly from February.
Total headcount falls to its lowest level amid continued declines in U.S. rail volumes.
Slumping rail volumes and the Class I railroads’ operational efficiency efforts contribute to the headcount decline.
The Eastern U.S. rail company cites declining coal volumes and fewer utilized locomotives as contributing factors for the closure.
Employment levels at the U.S. operations of the Class I railroads hit their lowest point in years, according to data from the Surface Transportation Board.
The U.S. operations of the Class I railroads continue to shed employees.
Headcount within U.S. Class I rail operations tumbles amid declining rail volumes and the deployment of precision railroading.
The railway cited challenging economic headwinds and could release up to 1,600 employees.
The Class I railroads furlough workers in times of lower volumes but unions think the cuts have been too deep as a result of precision scheduled railroading.
Market expert Michael Baudendistel writes about whether there is a rail recession, or are railroads paring operations and employees to fatten their bottom lines.
Ben Thrower writes about the positive and negative aspects of precision scheduled railroading in this commentary article.
The number of employees working for the U.S. operations of the Class I railroads slumps to its lowest level in years.
As precision scheduled railroading takes hold, headcount levels drop to their lowest in years.
