Teamsters Oppose Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern Merger Proposal

Teamsters Challenge Proposed Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern Merger

The Teamsters Union stands firmly against a potential merger between two major rail companies: Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern. Concerns about labor impacts and competitive fairness have prompted the union to express strong opposition.

(WASHINGTON) - Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien, alongside Mark Wallace of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) and Tony Cardwell of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division (BMWED), has issued a statement regarding the ongoing merger discussions. They highlight significant issues stemming from the proposed agreement.

“The Teamsters Union strongly opposes the proposed merger between Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern as currently written,” they stated. They further explained that the BLET and BMWED, which are part of the Teamsters Rail Conference, collectively represent almost 20,000 workers from these companies, forming more than half of the unionized workforce at both railroads. The statement emphasized, “We cannot and will not support any agreement or merger that fails to safeguard their lives and livelihoods.”

The union disclosed that it conducted an extensive five-month investigation into the merger terms. This included nationwide meetings and negotiations directly with company executives. However, they claim that leadership, especially from Union Pacific, has not made solid commitments to job security and worker concerns.

Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern have faced criticism over past safety records and labor practices. Incidents such as the East Palestine accident and outsourcing jobs have fueled apprehensions that these issues might worsen post-merger. The Teamsters assert, “It’s time for Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern to get serious and do right by our members. Until they do, the Teamsters will do everything in our power to block this harmful merger.”

For further details on the Teamsters Rail Conference's stance on the merger, visit the official page here.

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, established in 1903, represents 1.3 million workers across the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. For more information, visit Teamster.org, or follow them on X @Teamsters and Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters.