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Employees are at the center of Union Pacific's business. Our highly skilled workforce enables us to fulfill our goal of Building America. That's why we invest significant resources to make sure our employees have the training and support they need to succeed.
Srinath Sathyanarayanan, senior systems consultant
Union Pacific provides excellent jobs to our employees, offering great benefits, a comprehensive wellness program and ample opportunities for training and development. Through these programs, we strive to build a strong, healthy and highly skilled workforce.
Union Pacific has a steadfast commitment to employee recruitment and development, and we seek new ways to strengthen employees, who are the backbone of our company. About 40 percent of all new hires are referred by current employees, but we know we have an opportunity to further attract and engage employees. As we move forward into the 21st century, we look forward to building upon the foundation of a resilient and dedicated workforce.
Union Pacific offers a comprehensive benefits program to our employees, including medical insurance, educational assistance, a pension and a 401(k). These benefits vary based on whether an employee is non-union or part of a collective bargaining agreement.
These benefits vary based on whether an employee is non-union or part of a collective bargaining agreement, but may include the following:
| Population (Total company) | |
|---|---|
| Female | 6% |
| Male | 94% |
| Asian | 2% |
| Black | 11% |
| Caucasian | 73% |
| Hispanic | 12% |
| Native American | 2% |
| Senior Management | |
|---|---|
| Female | 17% |
| Male | 83% |
| Asian | 1% |
| Black | 6% |
| Caucasian | 88% |
| Hispanic | 4% |
| Native American | 1% |
| Generations | |
|---|---|
| Traditionalist (born before 1946) | >1% |
| Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964) | 32% |
| Generation X (born 1965-1981) | 48% |
| Millennial (born after 1981) | 19% |
About 85 percent of Union Pacific employees are covered under Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) unique to 14 different unions. These agreements cover wages, benefits and work rules.
Through Union Pacific's wellness program, we encourage employees to "Take Charge. Feel Better. Live More." To support that philosophy, we continue expanding the number of tools available to help our employees make healthy choices and proactively address mental and physical health concerns.
Union Pacific Health and Medical Services helps employees manage a variety of wellness-related issues. For example, Union Pacific's System Health Injury Protocol (SHIP II) assists employees who may be at risk for injury because of low fitness levels. The program gives employees access to personal training sessions, as well as consultations with a nutritionist, to help them achieve their fitness goals. For employees who sustain an injury, the company's Return to Work (RTW) program enables them to perform productive, meaningful work activities within their physical capabilities as defined by their physicians. Additionally, Union Pacific provides education and assistance for issues including substance abuse, alertness and stress.
To increase participation in wellness programs and employee health, Union Pacific's Worksite Wellness Challenge recognizes individual work units that have adopted and fostered world-class wellness programs. Launched in 2013, the challenge evaluates and scores all work units on their wellness and safety education objectives. Each worksite receives points based on its level of engagement, resulting in each participating worksite being awarded a "bronze," "silver" or "gold" designation. In 2014, 51 of 53 work units received a bronze, silver or gold recognition.
The UP Way is an integral part of our culture at Union Pacific. It engages all employees to consistently work to improve safety, service and productivity by providing the methods, tools and processes to standardize work, eliminate variability and waste, and solve problems at their root cause.
Strong employee engagement is a crucial part of the UP Way. When our employees actively take part in our culture of continuous improvement, we can achieve three related goals – world-class safety, service excellence and increased productivity. These grow our business and improve job security. Outcomes include:
Union Pacific's Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are networks of employees that help Union Pacific nurture a diverse workforce where all employees can do their best work. Each ERG has an executive sponsor, which ensures these groups can direct management's attention to issues of particular concern. ERGs not only support their own members, but also provide educational experiences for all employees and service to the communities in which Union Pacific operates.
Roughly 3,000 employees companywide are involved in one or more Employee Resource Group. Membership continues to grow, and 2014 saw a large increase in representation of field chapters within these groups.
In addition to facilitating the ERGs below, Union Pacific supports diverse communities in the states and cities where the company operates. For example, Union Pacific serves as a major sponsor of the annual Heartland Latino Leadership Conference held in Omaha, Nebraska.
When an employee surplus occurs, in lieu of furloughs, about 60 percent of train and yard employees are covered under AWTS agreements, which guarantee employees eight work or training days per month, continued full healthcare benefits and accrual of service time toward Railroad Retirement. In addition to providing for our employees, AWTS helps the company by allowing employees to remain current on training and maintain their proficiency, thereby allowing them to return to full-time work faster when the demand returns.
In 2014, we handled 7 percent more volume than in 2013, and we overcame weather-related delays. Maintaining a ready workforce and surge resources – locomotives and equipment – was crucial in handling the increased volume.
In fact, we ran nearly as many annual carloads as our all-time high in 2006, but we did it more than 2 mph faster. To put that in perspective, operating an average of 1 mph faster is the equivalent of adding 150 to 200 locomotives and 100 to 200 or more train, engine and yard employees.
Transporting goods on time is crucial for customer satisfaction, and the AWTS program, unique in the industry, gave Union Pacific a ready pool of talent to call back to work when volumes surged.
Union Pacific offers training and career development opportunities to our employees, helping us cultivate a high-quality workforce capable of the challenging work this industry demands. Training also helps keep our employees safe on the job. In 2014, Union Pacific conducted 1.9 million hours of safety-related training, an increase from 1.65 million hours in 2013.
Some of Union Pacific’s training and career development programs include:
As an employee who has gone through Union Pacific's Operations Management Trainee (OMT) program, I can say firsthand that the instructors of this program are some of Union Pacific's greatest assets. The OMT program gave me the confidence I needed to start leading employees. Union Pacific has the most professional and safest employees in the business. They expect a lot from their leadership, but this program gave me a solid foundation to build upon. Even now, after completing the program, I feel that I can still call upon my former instructors for mentorship and advice.
In addition to the job training I received as part of the OMT program, I felt that the networking opportunities available to trainees were also incredibly valuable. The meet-and-greets and socials that we attended during the program allowed me to meet many professionals from all over the Union Pacific system. Now, if I am in a pinch and need to call on someone, I have a long list of people to ask for advice, and I am confident that I will get the correct answer. Of all the professional development classes that I have taken all over the world throughout my life, this program tops them all.
Union Pacific's companywide Intern Connection Program (ICP) allows college students to learn about Union Pacific, discover the different functional departments, volunteer in the community and network with senior leaders. The ICP organizes events throughout the year, with a summer "peak season" that coincides with an influx of interns.
Higher education provides professional and personal development opportunities for those seeking to advance in the company. Union Pacific offers educational assistance to all full-time employees who have been employed for at least six months by the time classes begin. Tuition reimbursement is given to full-time employees who enroll in job- or career-related courses at accredited schools, colleges and universities, up to a maximum of $5,250 per calendar year, potentially covering up to 100 percent of tuition over the course of a degree.
Jack Koraleski
Union Pacific Chairman
Rob Knight
Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President-Finance
Lynn Kelley
Vice President-Supply Chain and Continuous Improvement
* Awarded in 2015 for 2014 performance
