Above photo: Reddit.
Fifty years ago, there were 71 major US railroad companies. Now just 4 rail corporations control 90% of the market — and two of them are on the verge of merging.
If this merger goes through, it would make everything more expensive, because huge swaths of the economy still rely on rail infrastructure. And these two companies — Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific — have a history of raising prices while cutting costs.
Journalists at More Perfect Union sat down with rail experts about what this merger would mean for Americans, and what it would mean for America if it goes through. The bottom line is that we’d all pay higher prices for almost everything we buy.
Watch our video, then sign the petition: Tell the Surface Transportation Board to protect lower prices and block the Norfolk Southern-Union Pacific Merger!
One of the biggest fights railroad workers are facing right now is the fight for two-person crews. The railroad companies only want to pay a single individual to operate trains that are 2 or even 3 miles long. Railroad workers are fighting back, but when these Wall Street mega-companies see a way to slash their labor costs in half, they chase it hard.
These staffing cuts make rail disasters like the one in East Palestine, Ohio more common. But for companies like Norfolk Southern (whose train derailed there), more crashes are just the price of doing business.
We can stop it.
The Surface Transportation Board’s role during this merger is to look at whether or not this merger will enhance competition. Clearly, going from 4 rail corporations down to 3 won’t do that. So rail CEOs are lobbying President Trump hard for approval.
Make your voice heard: Demand more competition in the rail industry, not another megamerger that will raise prices on everything!
The proposed Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger would give just 3 rail companies control of 90% of the market. The merged corporation would use its market power to raise prices on Americans and lead to more disasters like the one at East Palestine, OH. I urge you to reject this mega-merger.
