(Source: Freight Waves, May 23, 2023)
The Class I railroads are still far under the employment levels needed to provide exceptional rail service, let alone grow network capacity, an attorney representing seven freight rail unions argued in a Monday filing to the Surface Transportation Board.
Although the railroads say employment levels have grown since last year, head count levels are well below 2019’s pre-pandemic levels if looking at the membership data of the different craft unions, according to attorney Richard S. Edelman on behalf of the unions. Edelman represents the following unions: the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division; Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen; International Association of Boilermakers; International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District #19; International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers – Mechanical Division; National Conference of Firemen and Oilers, 32BJ/SEIU; and the Transport Workers Union of America.
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