Some of the
Vena suggested more changes are coming at the railroad in a note to all of UP's staff Monday where he emphasized his experience working his way up through the industry after starting as a brakeman, but he didn't offer any specifics. He was hired last month after a hedge fund pressured the railroad to oust
“I know you have many questions about what will happen and how it will impact you,” Vena said in his letter. “I share some of those questions, and I will learn a lot from you as I travel the system. What I can tell you is that we will become the safest railroad in the world. I can tell you we will improve our service product, and we will become more efficient and more reliable – for ourselves, our customers, our communities and our shareholders.”
The five general chairpersons who lead the Transportation Division of the
“He orchestrated huge furloughs and cuts to every department in transportation, which resulted in the crew shortages we have yet to recover from,” the SMART-TD union officials wrote in their letter. “Vena put this railroad on a long-term path of destruction for a short-term return on investment for
The SMART-TD union canceled several of its scheduled negotiating sessions with the railroad over the next couple months because of the concerns about Vena's leadership and his willingness to address worker concerns.
The
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