Norfolk Southern (NYSE: NSC) has told employees within its mechanical department that it will be furloughing workers.
The furloughs, which Norfolk Southern (NS) says will take place across multiple locations, are to align NS’ operations with the current economy. NS did not disclose how many employees would get furloughed.
“We know furloughs are always hard for impacted employees and even harder around the holidays,” NS said. “We are working to provide an extended notice period for impacted employees. NS appreciates the hard work and commitment of all the men and women on the Thoroughbred Team, which makes these decisions particularly difficult.”
NS said furloughed employees could apply for positions elsewhere in the NS system.
According to data submitted to the Surface Transportation Board by NS, the total number of employees working for NS in mid-November was 19,199, compared with 22,818 in November 2019 and 19,466 in October.
Earlier this year, NS has shifted or closed operations in response to market conditions and as it deploys its version of precision scheduled railroading, an operating model that seeks to streamline operations. It closed a distribution facility in Roanoke, Virginia; idled the Bellevue hump yard in Ohio and the Enola hunp yard in Pennsylvania; and shuffled and realigned several internal departments.
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