BNSF Furloughs Mechanics in Kansas, Nebraska

By Esther Fung

BNSF Railway said it has furloughed mechanical workers in Kansas and Nebraska as part of its operations to align people and resources with customer demand.

"This is a necessity for any network business to optimize the operation and run as efficiently as possible," a BNSF spokesman said.

The Shop Craft Unions at BNSF said more than 362 workers were furloughed this week and called on safety regulators to intervene, saying that this exacerbated concerns over safety and maintenance practices.

BNSF said it has workers in locations where there isn't sufficient work and insufficient workers where growth is occurring, and that needs to be adjusted so that the railroad has "the right people in the right place at the right time."

BNSF has offered location transfers and craft transfers to furloughed workers, and that it has hundreds of engineering positions open.

The railroad is owned by Berkshire Hathaway.

Write to Esther Fung at esther.fung@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

March 01, 2024 17:57 ET (22:57 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2024 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.