Rail union says Union Pacific layoffs of over 1,000 track maintenance workers jeopardizes safety
The head of the union that represents track maintenance workers says Union Pacific is jeopardizing safety by delaying nearly 1,200 planned projects until next year and laying off more than 1,000 workers
OMAHA, Neb. — The head of the union that represents track maintenance workers says Union Pacific is jeopardizing safety by delaying nearly 1,200 planned projects until next year and laying off more than 1,000 workers, but the railroad says the seasonal move shouldn't be alarming.
The president of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division union has been sending letters to regulators for more than a month raising concerns about the layoffs, but the the Surface Transportation Board hasn't intervened.
“Chaos and disruption with Union Pacific’s Maintenance of Way forces can only lead to one outcome — deferred maintenance and catastrophic outcomes,” Tony Cardwell, who leads the union, said in his letters. “These furloughs will affect the safety of Union Pacific operations and pose serious safety risks for the general public and the communities surrounding Union Pacific’s infrastructure.”
Union Pacific said the decision to delay these projects is a reflection of the fact that the railroad went over budget after dealing with several unexpected weather events like the tropical storm that hit California this year and last summer's extreme heat. The railroad said it remains committed to safety and improving its track network across the western U.S.
Railroad safety has been a concern nationwide this year ever since a Norfolk Southern train derailed, spilled hazardous chemicals and caught fire in eastern Ohio in February. Members of Congress proposed reforms but those have largely stalled.
Cardwell said that after
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