WILLIAMSON, W.Va. — Norfolk Southern has laid off 20 workers at its rail yard in Williamson.
The company released a statement Friday that said the decision is in line with other moves made to right-size the rail transportation company.
“Norfolk Southern continues to focus on ensuring that we have the optimal number of people and assets at every location across our system in order to operate safely and efficiently. As we execute our new strategic plan and reimagine our business, we expect that targeted hiring and furloughing will remain components of our operating model. Yesterday, that entailed the furlough of approximately 20 employees in Williamson, West Virginia. All furloughed employees will have the opportunity to apply for positions elsewhere at Norfolk Southern,” the statement said.
The company laid-off 38 conductors from its Roanoke, Va. operations in January 2016, citing a downturn in the coal industry. There were 200 permanent layoffs of engineers and conductors in 2012 impacting southern West Virginia. The coal market was also blamed for that move.