U.S. Class I railway employment decline continues in December

Railway employment levels in the United States have now fallen in 18 of the last 20 months, according to recent data from the U.S. Surface Transportation Board.    Class I freight railroads in the United States employed 150,215 workers as of the middle of December 2016, a 6.58 percent decline from 160,795 employees during the same 2015 period, according to data from the U.S. Surface Transportation Board (STB).
   U.S. railway employment was down 0.84 percent from 151,495 workers in mid-November 2016, and has now fallen in 18 of the last 20 months.
   Just one of the various employment categories reported to the STB posted increases from the previous month, and all six of them declined on a year-over-year basis.
   Class I railway executives, officials and staff assistants in December fell 1.73 percent from the previous month and 6.2 percent year-over-year; professional and administrative staff slipped 0.68 percent month-over-month and 7.54 percent from last year; maintenance of way and structures employees were down 2.2 percent and 4.22 percent, respectively; maintenance of equipment and stores workers ticked up 0.34 percent month-over-month, but dropped 6.92 percent from the previous December; while train and engine workers were down 0.22 percent and 10.97 percent; and transportation staff (not including train and engine) slid 0.57 percent from November and 7.13 percent from the same 2015 period.