Posts tagged Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern
The Teamsters’ Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern opposition sacrifices the wrong members
July 21, 2026 // As an initial matter, consider the composition of the Teamsters' 1.3 million members. Somewhere between 45% and 55% work in trucking, parcel, freight, and warehouse operations. Roughly 20% to 25% hold public sector jobs. Airline employees account for 8% to 10%. Manufacturing, healthcare, construction, and sanitation fill in another 15% to 20%. Rail workers? Just 6% to 10% of the total membership. Put differently, for every Teamster who works on the railroad, there are roughly six who drive a truck, load a parcel or work a warehouse. Now, the opposition begins to make more sense. It is not really about rail workers at all through this merger. It is about protecting the union's much larger trucking, parcel, and warehouse divisions from a strengthened rail competitor.
Two unions announce opposition to UP-NS merger (revised)
July 30, 2025 // Two unions — the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers, and the Transport Workers Union of America — have announced their opposition to the Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger proposed today by the two railroads. SMART said it will oppose the merger when it goes to the Surface Transportation Board for approval, while the TWU — which represents some Norfolk Southern workers — said it “strongly opposes” the deal and is urging regulators, lawmakers, shippers and unions to block the transaction. Other unions have also expressed concern about the creation of a coast-to-coast railroad that would cover more than 52,000 miles and employ more than 52,000 people, although few have done so in language as strong as that of TWU International President John Samuelsen. In a statement, he called UP’s safety record “shameful” and said, “There is no world where Union Pacific should be controlling a coast-to-coast rail network.