The union representing Amtrak food service workers believes that as many as 1,700 of its members may lose their jobs if Amtrak outsources its food service to a contractor.
Some of the union workers protested that prospect during a rally outside New York’s Penn Station this week.
Transport Workers Union International President John Samuelsen said Amtrak CEO Richard Anderson is “engaged in a slash-and-burn management plan.”
The approximately 100 Amtrak workers also decried Amtrak’s replacement of full-service dining aboard the Lake Shore Limited and Capitol Limited with boxed meals, most of them served cold.
Amtrak acknowledged in a statement that it has cut 14 chef positions, but that all those affected who wanted another position with Amtrak were able to get one.
The Amtrak statement also contended that the change in meal service aboard the Lake Shore and Capitol has been well received by passengers.
Tags: Amtrak, Amtrak Capitol Limited, Amtrak eastern long-distance trains, Amtrak food service, Amtrak labor unions, Amtrak unions, Amtrak workers, Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited, New York Penn Station, Richard Anderson
Amtrak in the Heartland 
October 11, 2018 at 8:32 pm |
Love your blog, read it faithfully. We experienced the new “fresh and contemporary” “dining” service on the Cap Limited in September. It was awful! The “meal” was actually just cold snacks that came in a box. You take it to a lonely, bare table and eat it all by yourself—with none of the camaradie and ambience of traditional Amtrak dining cars. The promo material gives you some balderdash about deciding “when and where to eat—allowing you to experience your journey with no boundaries.” How insulting to the passengers! They also tout its “sustainability”, apparently because you also get a reusable bag. Never mind that the containers and utensils are single use plastic! What a bad, offensive idea!
October 18, 2018 at 2:55 pm |
A major reason why we chose to fly this time.