ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, December 3, 1996 TAG: 9612030107
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: GREG EDWARDS
Norfolk Southern Corp. has offered a voluntary job buyout to 400 clerical workers in its Roanoke business offices and rail yards, beginning Nov.25.
Clerks in Roanoke who established union seniority before July 1, 1991, have until Dec. 6 to accept the offer. They are part of the Transportation Communications Union. Those who do will receive $35,000 before taxes and other deductions, probably by Dec. 13, NS spokesman Bob Auman said.
Participants 55 and older also will get health insurance coverage until they become eligible for Medicare at age 65. The medical benefits, to be administered by Trigon Blue Cross Blue Shield, carry a cap of $75,000.
As in previous offers, the company said it would not accept applications for a buyout when the vacancy would hurt efficiency of NS operations or harm the company economically.
Auman said the buyout is one of a series of separation programs offered by NS since 1984 as the company has tried to trim its work force voluntarily.
The most recent of those buyouts, on very similar terms, was offered in May to clerical workers in the accounting and information technology departments in Roanoke. Only six of 205 eligible employees accepted that deal.
In November 1995, NS made a buyout offer to clerks 55 and over, and 45 of 450 eligible clerks in Roanoke accepted.
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