WASHINGTON — More than 18,000 union workers at Amtrak will receive $900 holiday bonuses to mark the company’s record year of ridership and revenue, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has announced.
The worker bonuses announced today (Dec. 11) come as Amtrak executives have agreed to forgo 50% of the bonuses that would have been paid out under their existing bonus structure, at the urging of the Trump administration, according to a Department of Transportation press release. Amtrak’s board of directors has also taken action to eliminate long-term bonuses for senior executives and to distribute those bonus funds to the union workers.
“We are truly in the golden age of travel,” Duffy said in a press release. “… my department is working every day to enhance the travel experience for the American peple. We rely on our incredible workforce, including our unionized workers at Amtrak, to make it all possible.”
Leaders of the two largest rail unions applauded the move.
“This long-overdue recognition of the employees who keep the railroad moving is a step in the right direction,” said Mark Wallace, national president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen. Said Jeremy Ferguson, president of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers-Transportation Division, “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 acknowledgement of their dedication and service, especially during holiday season.”
Trains.com has asked Amtrak for comment on the bonus plan.
Amtrak’s executive bonus structure has been a long-running source of controversy. In fiscal 2023, 13 top managers received a total of $2.98 million in bonuses [see “Amtrak defends management bonuses …,” Trains.com, June 20, 2024]. The bonus structure has also been a target in congressional hearings [see “House Republicans ask Amtrak to explain …,” Nov. 3, 2022], as well as with legislation that would require full disclosure of bonus payments and the criteria for those bonuses [see “Bill requiring disclosure …,” Jan. 14, 2025].
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