(The following story by Bernie Delinski appeared on the Times Daily website on July 14, 2009.)
MUSCLE SHOALS, Ala. — Norfolk Southern has reduced the amount of job cuts at the Sheffield rail yard to 65, officials said Tuesday.
Company officials initially planned to cut 84 jobs at Sheffield, said Robin Chapman, a spokesman for Norfolk Southern in Atlanta.
“It’s a number that’s been in flux throughout this process,” Chapman said. “The change has to do with how many workers are required for certain jobs.”
Employees receive official word of the cuts Wednesday, Chapman said.
“The employees who are affected pretty much know already,” he said. “We notified the general chairman of the union on Thursday and I’m sure word trickled down from there.”
About 130 people work at the rail yard. The yard is just east of the overpass on Wilson Dam Road, but is referred to as the Sheffield yard by company officials.