217.370.8505 cory@bletislb.org

Class I employment grew 4.4 percent in November

Class Is employed 118,944 people as of mid-November, a 0.62% increase from mid-October employment levels and a 4.38% increase year over year, according to Surface Transportation Board data.

Five of six employment categories registered employment increases between October and November. They were: transportation (other than train and engine), up 1.34% to 4,779 employees; professional and administrative, up 1.11% to 9,998; executives, officials and staff assistants, up 0.96% to 8,030; maintenance of equipment and stores, up 0.77% to 17,774; and transportation (train and engine), up 0.74% to 49,934.

The only category to post a decrease in employment between October and November was maintenance of way and structures, which dipped 0.05% to 28,429 employees.

Year over year, all categories logged increases: executives, officials and staff assistants, up 10.29%; transportation (T&E), up 6.29%; maintenance of equipment and stores, up 3.15%; transportation (other than T&E), up 2.8%; professional and administrative, up 2.47%; and maintenance of way and structures, up 1.31%.