Eastern Railroad Discussion > NS Mechanical Furloughs in Roanoke and elsewhere 1-6-20

Roanoke TV station WDBJ7 is reporting new NS Locomotive shop furloughs at both the Roanoke Locomotive Shop and the Shaffers Crossing Locomotive Shop, 47 at RLS and 20 at SCX.  This confirms a post this morning on TheLayoff.com and is the third round of layoffs within the past year.  Links to both below.

https://www.wdbj7.com/content/news/New-round-of-furloughs-hits-Norfolk-Southern-employees-566745901.html

https://www.thelayoff.com/t/12S1mJwP

It appears from other posts on The Layoff.com there were cuts across the NS system.

https://www.thelayoff.com/norfolk-southern

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/06/20 15:55 by Jimbo.

Roanoke has no future with NS as a shop.  It'll still be a big yard and crew base, but the diesel shop will be gone in just a few years.  I hate it just as much as everyone getting laid off, but this is reality.
 

The Altoona Mirror doesn't have anything about current layoffs in the Altoona-area NS shops.  But, it does note that many people laid off in the November cuts already have replacement jobs.

In early 2019 Platt's Global Intelligence reported that the company would be down 500 employees by the end of 2019 (which it was), and down about 3,000 employees by 2023. And, five hundred locomotives would be parked.  It looks both plans are well underway.

One of my first jobs was with a financial  firm that was renowned for being ruthless.  Good training, great pay, but ruthless. The first day at work they told us 20% would be gone in six months, and maybe half in two years. And, they meant it. You worked incredibly hard, and you knew they'd cut you in a minute if they could.  Even guys with 20 years were let go when they didn't produce.  The company is still around, by the way, almost fifty years later.  Most high end law firms, and many engineering firms work the same way. Produce, and continue to produce, or you're kicked to the curb.

Platt's:  https://www.spglobal.com/marketintelligence/en/news-insights/trending/bGz-RY2uzDDad6azE8MOqA2

Well, we can get into a philosophical debate about intentional churn. Despite the acclaim that Jack Welch received, I believe he ran GE into the dirt. Why? Because it's a free market for talent, and when the economy is good (like it is now), many folks can choose where they work. The creative people on whom the company relies for innovation mostly abhor the "15% out every year" approach. They wouldn't even consider working for GE. So, GE claimed to be an innovative company... but there really wasn't much innovation happening. They were just making linear improvements to existing product lines. Eventually it caught up with them. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/07/20 09:18 by ctillnc.

Any confirmations of layoffs besides the two locomotive shops in Roanoke?  TheLayoff.com names several others, if the posts are true.  A big if on that website.

They cut off 58 at the Chattanooga, TN Diesel Shop in November 2019.