STB: Class I employment declined in mid-May

Class Is employed 149,032 workers in the United States as of mid-May, down 0.05 percent from employment in mid-April and down 2.42 percent from the year-ago figure, according to the Surface Transportation Board (STB).

Of the six employment categories, five reported decreases compared with mid-April. They were executives, officials and staff assistants, down 0.99 percent to 8,745 employees; professional and administrative, down 1.3 percent to 12,506; maintenance of way and structures, down 0.18 percent to 34,158; maintenance of equipment and stores, down 0.44 percent to 27,726; and transportation other than train and engine, down 0.41 percent to 5,825.

The train-and-engine transportation category increased 0.64 percent to 60,072 employees between mid-April and mid-May.

On a year-over-year basis, all categories except train-and-engine transportation reflected decreases in employment. Executives, officials and staff assistants declined 5.69 percent; professional and administrative declined 8.57 percent; maintenance of way and structures declined 6.08 percent; maintenance of equipment and stores declined 4.73 percent; and transportation other than train and engine declined 5.85 percent.

Employment in the train-and-engine transportation category rose 3.37 percent on a year-over-year basis.