On Tuesday, members of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division gathered outside of NS offices in Atlanta and Norfolk to raise awareness about what it described as “rotten and inedible” food the railroad is serving track gangs. The group shared photos of spoiled chicken and moldy fruit that had recently been given to maintenance of way employees working on projects in remote areas, far from restaurants and grocery stores.
Union officials were able to briefly speak with CEO James Squires and COO Mike Wheeler about their concerns.
“Norfolk Southern is a massively profitable railroad,” union officials say. “Mr. Squires himself made $11.3 million in 2018. The disrespect shown BMWED members through the serving of moldy, expired food is obtuse. It must stop immediately. If not, we will be back outside his lavish office.”
In a statement to Trains News Wire, an NS spokesperson says the executives had a “productive dialog” with the union members and vowed to look into the issue. The spokesperson says the food in question was provided to employees by contracted food vendors.
“Norfolk Southern maintains an unwavering commitment to the health and safety of all of our workers and is fully committed to complying with our collective bargaining agreements,” the spokesperson says.
This story lacks credibility on quite a few levels. First, no one was “served” rotten food. This photo is staged. Secondly…boiled chicken somehow became “spoiled chicken” in this fake news article as well. The chicken in question was “broiled”…all 48 pieces of the breasts were consumed…readily. Ridiculous