Today, Union Pacific (UP) and Norfolk Southern (NS) officially filed an application with the Surface Transportation Board (STB) requesting approval to combine the two railroads. Railroad Workers United (RWU) – a cross-craft group of North American railroad workers from all unions, crafts and carriers, promises an all-out fight to block the merger, and urges all rail workers, unions, community groups, shippers, passenger rail advocates and other stakeholders to resist what would be the largest rail merger in history. According to RWU Organizer and BMWED member from Ohio Matt Weaver, “There’s no way in hell that this acquisition will be good for anyone in Rail Labor, nor most shippers, nor the American people.”
The UP-NS filing has come two months later than originally expected, primarily due to the vast and diverse opposition to the proposal which is coming from many quarters. Originally expected to submit the application in October, UP-NS has struggled throughout the Fall to clear the way for the merger to easily sail through the process. But to postpone the formal application any longer would make it even more obvious that UP-NS is not fully confident of success. RWU believes that the merger is far from a done deal, and can be blocked with a concerted grassroots campaign similar to the one which blocked the mega-merger of grocery giants Kroger and Albertsons in 2024.
RWU reiterates our opposition to the merger, which we have made clear from day one, when the intent to merge was first announced by UP-NS July 29th. (see the RWU Resolution adopted 8/6/2025). In our opinion, the merger will be disastrous, creating an even more monopolistic condition in the rail industry. In the short term, we expect job losses driven by the new railroad hunting for “redundant” manpower and facilities at the former railroad interchange points, accompanied by dangerous “meltdowns,” service failures, and congestion on the network. “RWU agrees with the Teamster Rail Conference affiliated rail unions – BLET and BMWED – that this merger offers hollow worker protections, will make the railroads less competitive, and will likely increase unsafe practices,” states locomotive engineer and BLET member Matt Parker from Nevada. “Therefore, the STB should reject this ill-conceived merger.”
In the long term, a combined UP-NS would gain exponentially more economic and political weight, enabling the mega-railroad an even more powerful position to lobby for further automation, reduced crew sizes, and relaxed safety regulations. In addition, the combined railroad would emerge a more powerful entity, thumbing its nose at shippers, jacking up rates, driving away less profitable business to the highway, and lording over its union workforce in contract negotiations. “We are already seeing the effects of the proposed merger on the ground at other Class One railroads,” notes SMART-TD member and freight conductor Derek Masters of Buffalo, NY, an RWU Co-Chair. “With fears of having to compete with a single transcontinental behemoth, the remaining Class One carriers are already cutting jobs and budgets to position themselves for their own subsequent mergers. Safety and customer service are taking a back seat to shareholder returns which can only lead to increased injuries for workers and increased costs for shippers and consumers.”
RWU applauds those unions and organizations which have stated their opposition to the merger, including TWU, UE, ATDA, and the Teamster Rail Conference (BLET and BMWED). RWU is ready and willing to work with these organizations and any others committed to blocking the merger. RWU General Secretary Nick Wurst – a SMART-TD member and trainman/engineer in Massachusetts – states that, “Through a coalition effort, we aim to build a powerful campaign, putting maximum pressure on the STB to block the merger. With the importance of the freight rail network in the US, there’s the potential to build this broad alliance of rail labor organizations,, environmental groups, trackside safety organizations, and the broader working class, especially those employed by rail shippers and other related industries.”
A united front of rail labor – with all crafts fighting together – is essential. RWU encourages the rail unions which have not yet taken a formal position to join the opposition. We ask that rail unions who are supporting the merger in exchange for a “jobs guarantee” – SMART-TD, TCU, BRC, and NCFO – revise their position and oppose the merger. While we understand the anxiety caused by the threat of job losses for unions which don’t bend the knee, even an ironclad jobs guarantee which protects one craft is not in the interest of railroad workers. And as pointed out by RWU – and more recently the refreshingly transparent Machinists (IAM) District 19 statement – it is unlikely that these job guarantees are ironclad and in fact, offer little more than the protections already enjoyed by railroaders.
RWU calls on all railroad workers to get involved in the campaign to block the merger. In addition to getting your local union on board, and talking to your co-workers, railroaders are urged to join the RWU Anti-Merger Committee, and pick up some of our “Block the Merger” stickers and buttons. For more information, contact RWU at info@railroadworkersunited.org.
For More Information and Sources for Railroad Workers’ Perspective, Please Contact:
- CHICAGO, IL – RWU Newsletter Editor Mark Burrows 773-486-7001 potashpuller55@gmail.com
- SPARKS, NV – RWU International Steering Committee Member Gabe Christenson 775-682-0889 gabe.christenson@nvsmart-union.org
- PLEASANT HILL, IA – RWU International Steering Committee Member Ross Grooters 515-265-9879 rmgrooters@yahoo.com
- RENO, NV – RWU Trustee Ron Kaminkow 608-358-5771 ronkaminkow@yahoo.com
- FORT MADISON, IA – RWU Member Jeff Kurtz 319-470-9990 ia.chairman@gmail.com
- BUFFALO, NY – RWU International Steering Committee Member Derek Masters 716-239-8898 dmasters458@gmail.com
- SPARKS, NV – RWU Member Matt Parker 775-772-3675 nvroamer1864@gmail.com
- FRANKLIN, GA – RWU Treasurer Hugh Sawyer 770-854-5789 hlsawyerjr@gmail.com
- DECATUR, IL – RWU International Steering Committee Member Tim Sloper 217-652-0028 tslope242000@yahoo.com
- BERWYN, IL – RWU Member Marilee Taylor 708-484-7386 773-405-5246 marileetaylor@sbcglobal.net
- GENOA, OH – RWU International Steering Committee Member Matt Weaver 248-986-6079 bmweaver2624@frontier.com
- WORCESTER, MA – RWU General Secretary Nicholas Wurst 508-335-8633 nick@w-sts.com
