NS Wants to Move Dispatchers to Atlanta

Norfolk Southern wants to move all of its train dispatcher to Atlanta, says a union representing the dispatchers.

The American Train Dispatchers Association sent a letter to its members this week saying that NS is planning to begin consolidating dispatching operations in the Goode Center in Atlanta as early as this May.

The letter was posted on the website of Trains magazine, which said NS declined to comment and the union did not respond to its request for comment. The union is based in Cleveland and affiliated with the AFL-CIO.

Most NS dispatching operations in Northern Ohio are overseen by dispatchers located in Pittsburgh; Dearborn, Michigan; and Fort Wayne, Indiana.

The letter said NS told the union that the move would be made in stages, starting in May and being finished by October.

The union and railroad will be meeting to negotiate an agreement to implement the move once the carrier gives formal notice of it.

Speaking of the implementation timetable, the letter said, “Obviously, the Organization believes that this is an overly aggressive timetable, and given the difficulties encountered by our brothers and sisters on CSXT over the past year, I would implore everyone to not make any plans based on this preliminary announcement.”

Tags: American Train Dispatchers Association, Atlanta, Goode Center, Norfolk Southern, NS dispatchers, NS dispatching centers