Metro to Slash 100 Jobs, And More Cuts May Be Coming: Report

WASHINGTON, DC — The news for Metro just keeps getting worse: A report suggests that Metro plans to cut more than 100 positions as part of a plan to deal with the crippling budget problems the system is facing.

NBC 4 is reporting that Metro positions eliminated would include both union and management positions and are being implemented to deal with a $275 million budget gap in the next fiscal year.

Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld has said before he would cut more than 500 positions from WMATA, but the report indicates he could go beyond that, although employees who are represented by a union may be able to apply for other jobs in the system.

More at Patch: Metro Will Slash 500 Jobs

"In order to operate in a businesslike manner and achieve cost savings as we enter FY17 on July 1, and to prepare for the FY18 operating budget, positions must be terminated," Wiedefeld stated in a June memo. "I have directed the elimination of a total of about 500 positions over the next several months."

Wiedefeld said at the time that the decision stems from an assessment Metro conducted to "identify non-essential vacant positions, as well as positions that are redundant and/or are no longer deemed critical to Metro's core business interests."

Metro has struggled greatly in the last year, with Wiedefeld implementing the SafeTrack plan to deal with chronic safety issues throughout the Metro rail system while dealing with budget shortfalls. Riders have been frustrated with service cutbacks and huge delays associated with "Surges" as Metro has struggled to get both the safety of its system and its budget under control.

More at Patch: WMATA to Metro Employees: Stop Making Excuses

Image via WMATA