More bad news for the beleaguered transit agency of our nation's capital, as declining ridership and prolonged service disruptions have now given way to large-scale layoffs throughout the organization.
Paul Duggan reports: "Metro announced a major workforce reduction Monday, saying it will eliminate 500 jobs in coming months that “are no longer deemed critical” to the beleaguered transit agency, which is struggling to deal with declining ridership and revenue woes."
According to Duggan, the layoffs are expected to cut through the ranks of the agency, and include some union employees. According to According to a statement from General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld, the layoffs are necessary "to operate in a businesslike manner and achieve cost savings…." Wiedefeld came onboard as Metro’s general manager and chief executive in late November, vowing to streamline the organization.
The layoffs take place in context of the launch of the SafeTrack maintenance program, which is causing disruptions in service on lines throughout the Metrorail system.
FULL STORY: Metro General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld to eliminate 500 jobs
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