<div id="readability-page-1"><div>By Elias Schisgall The International Brotherhood of Teamsters union is opposing the proposed $71.5 billion railroad merger between Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern, saying the deal would create a railroad monopoly and harm union workers. The leaders of the Brotherhood of Locomotive and Engineers and Trainmen and the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Division--which together represent almost 20,000 Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern workers--along with Teamsters General President Sean O'Brien slammed the merger in a statement Wednesday. They said the companies had given jobs to Mexican rail crews over American union workers and said both had poor track records of worker safety. When the union leaders voiced these concerns, leaders at both companies--and especially Union Pacific--&#34;refused to make real commitments to protect the jobs and address the concerns of our members,&#34; they said. The companies &#34;have given us every reason to believe these problems would only grow worse if the merger is approved under its proposed terms,&#34; the union leaders said. In a separate statement, Mark Wallace, the president of BLET and the Teamsters Rail Conference, said the combined company would have 50,000 miles of track spanning 43 states, creating a de facto monopoly. &#34;We believe this transcontinental railroad will make shipping by rail less attractive as the merged carrier passes off rail lines that serve small towns, factories and farms to short line railroads while running miles-long slow-moving trains on the main line,&#34; Wallace said. &#34;For rail customers it will be a choice between 'Hell or the highway.'&#34; A Union Pacific spokesperson said the companies have pledged to provide jobs for all current union employees, calling the commitment unprecedented in the history of the railroad industry. The spokesperson said the company had formalized the &#34;jobs-for-life&#34; agreements with five unions so far. Norfolk Southern did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Write to Elias Schisgall at elias.schisgall@wsj.com (END) Dow Jones Newswires12-17-25 1313ET</div></div>

The Teamsters union opposes the $71.5 billion merger between Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern, citing monopoly and worker safety concerns. Union leaders claim the merger would worsen job security and safety issues, with companies favoring Mexican crews over American workers. Union Pacific promises jobs for all current union employees, but Norfolk Southern hasn't commented.

Teamsters Unions Oppose Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern Merger Over Monopoly, Worker-Safety Concerns