Catherwood LibraryILR School

SMART-TD, the largest rail union in the U.S., announced its opposition to the proposed $85 billion merger between Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern, citing concerns over safety, labor practices, and worker harassment. The union plans to challenge the deal before the Surface Transportation Board, which must approve the merger. Meanwhile, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen raised national security concerns over Union Pacific’s use of Mexican train crews at the southern border. If approved, the merger would create the first coast-to-coast freight rail operator in the U.S. and reshape the industry.