Union Pacific furloughs 900 rail workers
by The Canadian Press
The Omaha, Neb.-based railroad said hipping volume had been weaker than expected
OMAHA, Neb.—Union Pacific has furloughed about 900 rail workers because shipping demand has been weaker than expected.
The Omaha, Neb.-based railroad said last month that it had begun reducing rail crews and storing some locomotives because shipping volume had been weaker than expected this year.
Union Pacific Corp. spokesman Aaron Hunt said the recent furloughs were also part of the railroad’s effort to align its workforce with the current market.
The number of shipments Union Pacific has been delivering so far this year is down about 3 per cent, which includes a 30 per cent drop in coal carloads.
The Association of American Railroads says rail traffic nationwide is down less than 1 per cent, but coal shipments are nearly 7 per cent lower.
