DRIVING THE NEWS: President Trump & Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy Have Struck a Great Deal to Deliver Christmas Bonuses to Amtrak’s Unionized Workforce
$900 bonus reflects President Trump’s commitment to delivering bigger paychecks to American Workers
WASHINGTON, D.C. – President Donald Trump and Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy yesterday announced a deal struck between the U.S. Department of Transportation and Amtrak’s management and board of directors to deliver bonuses of $900 to more than 18,000 Amtrak rail workers this Christmas season to celebrate a record year of ridership and revenue. This deal is a direct result of the Trump Administration putting the American Worker first and prioritizing safety and efficiency on America’s railways.
Click the image below to see Secretary Duffy's update:
See what they are saying below:
Mark Wallace, National President at Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen:
"Amtrak is making real progress. The system is seeing record ridership and revenue, expanded service, and improved customer service. One other area of improvement deserves to be mentioned: Due to the urging of the Trump administration, end-of-year bonuses will now go to 18,000 front-line workers rather than being limited to the executive ranks. This long-overdue recognition of the employees who keep the railroad moving is a step in the right direction."
Jeremy Ferguson, President of SMART-TD:
“SMART-TD appreciates Amtrak’s decision to prioritize the men and women who keep our passenger rail system running every day. Providing frontline employees with a meaningful bonus is an important acknowledgment of their dedication and service, especially during the holiday season. We thank the Trump administration for supporting this effort to recognize the hardworking employees who make Amtrak strong.”
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (Texas):
“Last year, Sen. Fischer and I shined a light on excessive Amtrak executive bonuses despite the railroad’s massive operational losses. This week, at the urging of the Trump administration, Amtrak’s Board of Directors took an important step to right-size the railroad’s bonus structure and to reward the thousands of employees who actually make the passenger trains run. This step helps recognize the hard work of Amtrak’s workforce, and I applaud Amtrak’s Board of Directors for taking this action.”
U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer (Nebraska):
“For too long, Amtrak has operated behind closed doors, awarding six-figure bonuses to executives despite being unprofitable. I applaud the administration for taking meaningful steps to rein in these payouts and refocus resources where they belong. Moving forward, Congress must act to keep Amtrak accountable in the long run. I introduced my Amtrak Transparency Act to ensure that taxpayers have a clear view of how their hard-earned dollars are being spent."
U.S. Rep. Daniel Webster (FL-11):
"Thanks to President Trump’s actions to restore accountability and fiscal responsibility at Amtrak, over 18,000 Amtrak workers will take home a bonus this Christmas. Unlike the previous administration – which approved an excessive executive bonus structure – President Trump is focused on responsibly managing taxpayer dollars while putting the hardworking Americans that keep our trains running first.”
U.S. Rep. Sam Graves (MO-06):
“In recent years, the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has conducted ongoing oversight of the exorbitant bonuses paid to Amtrak executives. We have passed legislation out of the House to increase transparency in Amtrak’s decision making, as well as make public the bonuses the rail service’s executives receive. I commend the Administration for working with Amtrak’s leadership to redirect much of that bonus funding to the thousands of Amtrak employees this holiday season.”
U.S. Rep. David Rouzer (NC-07):
“Excessive, ambiguous bonus packages for Amtrak executives that defy logic are not fair to the taxpayer — especially when Amtrak relies heavily on federal support and consistently fails to turn a profit. I commend Secretary Duffy and Deputy Secretary Bradbury for reining in misguided executive bonus structures and restoring accountability at Amtrak. This is exactly the oversight and transparency the American people expect.”
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