BNSF furloughs 107 Alliance mechanical workers

Regional News

Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway officials have confirmed that 107 employees of the BNSF Mechanical Dept. in Alliance have been furloughed. Media Relations spokesman Steve Forsberg in Kansas City says employees were informed of the furloughs this (Tuesday) morning.

Forsberg says as soon as rail traffic picks back up, the employees will be called back to work, but he doesn't know when that might happen.

Local BNSF employees have informed Alliance radio station KCOW that some of the people affected have up to 11 years of experience, which will allow them to bump less experienced employees at other BNSF locations, such as Guernsey, Wyoming, Gillette, Wyoming, or Denver, Colorado.

Forsberg says 307 positions were furloughed system-wide Tuesday, forty of the positions eliminated through attrition .

Forsberg says coal volumes have declined in recent months because companies are reducing their electrical use.

"System-wide, more than 3,000 BNSF employees have been furloughed during the past year.

Alstom Motors, which provides contract maintenance work on train engines and supplies other workers for the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad in Alliance has informed some of its employees that their positions will be eliminated June 17. Those layoffs will apparently affect 45 people.