U.S. Class I workforce widened a bit in June

As of mid-June, the U.S. Class Is employed 166,139 people, up a smidgen from 166,097 as of mid-May, according to Surface Transportation Board employment data. On a year-over-year basis, the workforce grew 1 percent.

Compared with May levels, the maintenance-of-way and structures workforce shrank 1.6 percent to 37,190; maintenance of equipment and stores workforce decreased 0.4 percent to 29,940; and transportation (other than train and engine) workforce declined 0.4 percent to 6,736. The number of professional and administrative staff increased 2.4 percent to 14,437, size of the transportation (T&E) workforce rose 0.6 percent to 67,930, and number of executives, officials and staff assistants ratcheted up 0.4 percent to 9,906.

On a year-over-year basis, the transportation (other than T&E) and maintenance of equipment and stores workforces were relatively flat, while the maintenance-of-way and structures and professional/administrative workforces declined 0.7 percent and 0.2 percent, respectively. The two categories that posted gains were transportation (T&E) at 2.8 percent and executives/officials/staff assistants at 1.1 percent.