Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes

Joint Statement from BLET President Mark Wallace and BMWED President Tony Cardwell (The two unions comprise the Teamsters Rail Conference, representing more than half of all unionized railroaders in the United States) on the Proposed Merger of Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern.

The two freight rail giants will combine coast‑to‑coast operations into a unified 50,000‑mile network spanning 43 states. The new system will connect approximately 100 ports, access 10 international interchanges, and serve nearly every corner of North America.
Combined, the railroads bring over 360 years of operating history, with NS’s origins dating to 1827, making it 35 years older than Union Pacific.
Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena will lead the consolidated railroad.
“Railroads have been an integral part of building America since the Industrial Revolution, and this transaction is the next step in advancing the industry,” Vena said.
“Imagine seamlessly hauling steel from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Colton, California and moving tomato paste from Huron, California to Fremont, Ohio. Lumber from the Pacific Northwest, plastics from the Gulf Coast, copper from Arizona and Utah, and soda ash from Wyoming,” he said.
“Right now, tens of thousands of railroaders are moving almost everything we use. You name it, and at some point, the railroad hauled it.”
According to a 2024 report, Norfolk Southern operates 1,300 miles of track in Alabama, serves 565 customers and has over 1,500 employees.
NS has also long been a major economic player in Alabama.