The Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen (BRS) today announced its opposition to Union Pacific Railroad’s (UP) proposed acquisition of Norfolk Southern Railway (NS), citing serious concerns related to rail safety, workforce impacts, and the concentration of market power that would result from the transaction.

Signalmen are responsible for the installation, inspection, maintenance, and repair of the signal systems that govern train movements through America’s communities. The safe operation of the national rail network depends on redundancy, accountability, and a strong safety culture. The proposed merger moves in the opposite direction.

UP’s public assurances that the transaction will improve efficiency and strengthen safety are not supported by its recent record. Federal regulators have already raised concerns regarding UP’s safety culture, including interference with a Federal Railroad Administration safety assessment and documented patterns of retaliation against employees who raise safety issues. Expanding the size and reach of an organization with unresolved safety deficiencies presents unacceptable risk to workers and the public.

The merger would also consolidate unprecedented control over the nation’s rail infrastructure. By combining two of the largest Class I railroads, the transaction would reduce competition across key corridors, limit shipper options, and concentrate nearly forty percent of U.S. rail freight under a single corporate entity. History shows that this level of consolidation leads to service disruptions, higher costs, job losses, and weakened oversight—outcomes that are inconsistent with the public interest.

From a workforce perspective, rail mergers have repeatedly resulted in staffing reductions, forced relocations, and the erosion of institutional knowledge that is critical to safe railroad operations. Signal work is not interchangeable or easily replaced. Fewer skilled workers covering larger territories increases failure risk, lengthens response times, and undermines the very safety claims advanced by merger proponents.

The Surface Transportation Board’s (STB) merger rules require more than promises. They require clear, demonstrable evidence that a transaction enhances competition, protects workers, and improves service and safety for the public. Based on the record before it, this proposal does not meet that standard.

“The rail industry has been down this road before, and the results were disruptive, dangerous, and costly,” said BRS President Mike Baldwin. “This merger is not about strengthening the rail network. It is about expanding corporate power while shifting risk onto workers, communities, and the public.”

The BRS will continue to engage in the regulatory process, work with allied rail labor organizations, and submit formal comments to the STB to ensure that the voices of frontline safety workers are heard.