After CEO Hunter Harrison said last month that ongoing cuts at CSX Corp. could affect 700 more jobs by the end of this year, the railroad’s latest monthly report filed with the U.S. Surface Transportation Board showed employment dropped by 785 to 22,313 from June to July.
Most of the reduction came in the “transportation (train and engine)” category, which fell by 588. Other cuts include 76 jobs in “maintenance of way and structures.”
CSX has disclosed it cut 951 management-level positions this year, mainly at its Jacksonville headquarters. The company’s rail operations cover much of the Eastern U.S., and it has not detailed its other cuts.
With the latest cuts in July, CSX’s total employment has dropped by 2,150 so far this year, including jobs eliminated before Harrison was hired in March, according to the STB data.
CSX spokesman Rob Doolittle did not provide details of the latest cuts, but said by email “CSX continues to make adjustments across our network to improve efficiency and safety and to better serve customers. As a result of those changes, some positions have been eliminated, and there has been some attrition.”
As the job cuts continue, Harrison also continues to come under fire for service issues as the company implements his plans to improve operations.
The STB last week sent its second letter to Harrison to express its “continued concerns over the widespread degradation of rail service” across the CSX system.
Last week’s letter said since a July 27 letter from the STB, “it is not apparent to the Board or interested stakeholders that service is improving.”
The STB wants CSX to provide a detailed schedule for implementation of its new operating plan.
“The transition CSX is implementing ultimately will result in better service to our customers, and we are committed to working with customers to ensure they receive the support they require to meet their business needs as we move forward,” Doolittle said.