The Trump administration dropped some genuinely good news just in time for Christmas, and it did not involve another bloated government program or a press conference full of empty promises. More than 18,000 Amtrak workers are getting $900 bonus checks, and the money is coming straight out of the pockets of executives who used to quietly reward themselves at the top. That alone tells you everything you need to know about priorities finally changing in Washington.
After a record year for Amtrak, with ridership and revenue both climbing, President Trump worked with Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and Amtrak leadership to redirect bonus money away from executives and toward the frontline workers who actually keep the trains moving. The deal slashes executive bonus payouts by 50 percent and eliminates long term incentive bonuses for senior leadership entirely. That money is now going directly to unionized workers in the form of Christmas bonuses. Imagine that, rewarding the people who show up for work instead of the people who sit in boardrooms congratulating themselves.
Secretary Duffy made it clear this is part of a broader shift. He said the administration cares about the men and women who keep the country moving and described the current moment as a golden age of travel. Whether it is planes, subways, or trains, the Department of Transportation says it is focused on improving the experience for everyday Americans. And that does not happen without the workers who run the system, maintain the equipment, and deal with passengers when things go sideways.
Officials were not shy about pointing out what they found when they looked under the hood. According to the Department of Transportation, the Biden Buttigieg era left behind executive bonus structures that showered senior Amtrak officials with excessive payouts, even while frontline employees carried the real workload. Under Duffy, the department is restructuring compensation so performance actually matters and rewards are shared more fairly.
Union leaders welcomed the move, and that is not something you hear every day from Washington announcements. Mark Wallace, president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, called the bonuses a long overdue recognition of the employees who keep the railroad running safely and on time. He credited the Trump administration for pushing Amtrak to send bonuses to workers instead of limiting them to executives.
SMART TD President Jeremy Ferguson echoed that sentiment, noting how meaningful the bonuses are during the holiday season. He thanked the administration for backing the decision and recognizing the dedication of frontline employees.
This is what pro worker policy actually looks like. Less money for bureaucrats and executives, more money for the people doing the work. President Trump has always said he wants to put cash back in workers’ pockets, and this time he actually did it. If this is a preview of how federally connected entities will be handled going forward, a lot of overpaid executives might want to start paying attention.
Leave a Comment