December employment up year-over-year
Written by Douglas John BowenFigures released Friday by the Surface Transportation Board show Class I railroads employed 162,652 people in mid-December 2012, up 1.06 % from December 2011, though down a modest 0.07%, or 114 employees, from November 2012.
All categories gained year-over-year, led by Executives, officials, and staff assistants, up 4.2%. Professional and administrative gained 1.69%; Maintenance of equipment and stores rose 1.22%; Maintenance-of-Way and structures edged up 0.83%; Transportation (train and engine) rose 0.63%; and Transportation (other than train and engine) barely kept the plus column complete, up a scant 0.03%.
Four categories gained and two lost ground in December 2012 despite the overall employment decline from the previous month. Here, Transportation (other than train and engine) led the gainers, up 2.17% from November 2011, followed by Transportation (train and engine), up 0.94%. Executives, officials, and staff assistants rose more modestly, up 0.39%, and Maintenance of equipment and stores mimicked that, up 0.38%.
