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UP-NS MERGER:
BLET leads coalition of rail unions urging STB to reject UP-NS merger application immediately
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The BLET this week led a coalition of rail labor unions in urging the Surface Transportation Board (STB) to immediately terminate the proposed Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger application before a full review can begin.
In an August 19 joint filing, BLET and the five-member Allied Rail Unions (ARU) urged STB to summarily deny or reject the merger application, arguing that it does not meet STB’s high threshold for major mergers, including the prima facie (“first-impression”) standard. STB adopted stricter standards for Class I mergers in 2001 after massive service meltdowns, job losses, and safety lapses following large mergers such as UP-Southern Pacific, UP-Chicago North Western, and BN-ATSF.
“ARU/BLET emphasize these shortcomings of the Application because Rail Labor lived through the adverse consequences of the merger and control transactions of the 1990s that were the reason for adoption of the new rules,” the August 19 letter reads. “But the reality was that each approved transaction spurred a responsive transaction; and within about six years the industry was reduced to two carriers in the eastern and western halves of the Country; and shortly after that, to two carriers running north-south through the Midwest. Seemingly, without any real forethought or planning, freight rail transportation became dominated by duopolies. The ultimate result of creation of the duopolies was reduced employment and reduced service…”
BLET participated in the legal filing along with ARU members: Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division; Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen; International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers Mechanical Division; International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District #19; and Transportation Communications Union/IAM.
Organized labor is not the only one asking STB for a full dismissal of the merger. The BLET/ARU letter supports similar motions made by other groups, including multiple shipper organizations (including the National Grain and Feed Association), six State Attorneys General led by Austin Knudsen of Montana, and Class I railroads BNSF Railway, CSX Transportation, and CPKC.
A copy of the BLET/ARU joint letter is available on the BLET website (PDF).
Locomotive photos by Cory Rusch, BLET Division 659
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WHAT ARE THEY TRYING TO HIDE?
UP-NS must resubmit withheld merger data as STB rejects rush to approval
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Earlier this week, the Surface Transportation Board (STB) adopted a procedural schedule and timeline for consideration of the UP-NS merger application, but ordered the railroads to turn over “substantial” additional data by August 28. Importantly, STB said that release of the schedule does not constitute a ruling on the merits of the case and does not take into consideration motions filed after July 27. The STB’s new procedural schedule delays any final decision to late 2027.
STB also rejected the railroads’ request to expedite certain aspects of their proposed merger and to shorten the comment period.
“Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern have once again been asked to resubmit certain workpapers that withheld potentially important data from the STB and the public. The overwhelming evidence continues to show that this merger is a bad deal for consumers, workers, and competition,” the Stop the Rail Merger Coalition said in a prepared statement. “The companies seeking this merger have repeatedly tried to rush and short-circuit review of this merger through procedural tactics and incomplete disclosure. They should not be given unprecedented power over the American consumer. We urge the STB to continue subjecting this deal to the rigorous scrutiny it deserves. The more regulators look under the hood, the more reasons they have to reject it.”
The BLET is part of the Stop the Rail Merger Coalition, which represents a broad cross-section of the U.S. economy and is united against a merger that would reduce competition, increase costs, and weaken America’s supply chain.
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THE ABCs OF THE STB:
What is the Surface Transportation Board?
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The railroad industry, including rail labor, likes to throw around a lot of letters. There’s an “alphabet soup” of acronyms that frequently appear in industry and union news sites and publications, including this one — for example, AAR, ARU, BLET, CSXT, DOT, FRA, and STB. Right now the STB, or Surface Transportation Board, is playing a particularly important role in the proposed Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger. For those unfamiliar with the agency, here is some background information about the STB.
Essentially, the STB is the independent federal agency charged with the economic regulation of various modes of surface transportation in the United States, particularly freight rail. The agency has jurisdiction over railroad rate, practice, and service issues and rail restructuring transactions, including mergers and acquisitions. In the UP-NS proposal, the STB is tasked with conducting a thorough review to analyze the competitive effects of the proposed merger. A key component of STB’s review process is a public-interest review to ensure that the proposed merger serves the public interest and maintains a competitive national rail network. The STB consists of five Board members, one of whom serves as the Chairman. The Board members are nominated by the President of the United States and confirmed by Congress.
The STB was created on January 1, 1996, and is the successor to the former Interstate Commerce Commission, or ICC. The ICC was established in 1887 as the first federal agency with the power to regulate industry, and was created to control unfair railroad monopolies. At the time of STB’s creation in 1996, there was discussion of what to call the new agency. While many suggested “Surf Board,” traditional railroad culture prevailed and the acronym “STB” was adopted.
Locomotive photos by Cory Rusch, BLET Division 659
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ATTENTION ALL DELEGATES TO BLET’S SIXTH NATIONAL CONVENTION:
National Division launches 2026 convention website
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The BLET National Division has launched a website — bletconvention.org — to provide a single source of key information for delegates, vendors, and guests attending the union’s Sixth National Convention, to be held in Las Vegas from October 13-15, 2026.
For delegates, the website provides a direct link to the Horseshoe’s website for hotel room reservations. Delegates are advised to make their room reservations by the deadline of Friday, September 4.
Unlike previous national conventions, the BLET’s Sixth National Convention will be shortened by one day and will now be a three-day event. It will convene at the Horseshoe Hotel in Las Vegas on Tuesday, October 13, and will run through Thursday, October 15, 2026. Delegate registration will take place at the hotel on Monday, October 12. Approximately 425 delegates will represent more than 31,000 active locomotive engineers and trainmen throughout the United States.
The visitors section of the website provides a pre-registration form for non-delegates who plan to attend the Sixth National Convention and observe the proceedings. Advance registration for visitors is strongly encouraged, as they will be required to display a name badge while in the convention visitor seating area. The visitors section also contains links for hotel room reservations.
Additional key elements of the website include a tentative agenda for the Convention and maps of the hotel and the convention area.
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RAIL SAFETY:
BLET members are a key part of peer-to-peer Rail Workers Hazardous Materials Training Program
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Be sure to visit BLET Division 682 members Jose Villasenor (left) and Carl Fields at the Chicago regional meeting and sign up for a rail hazmat training class.
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BLET members regularly operate freight trains carrying some of the most toxic and deadly substances known to man. Those looking for ways to stay safe on the job need look no further than their fellow BLET members who work as peer instructors for the Rail Workers Hazardous Materials Training Program (RWHMTP).
Two of these peer instructors will be hosting an educational booth at BLET’s regional meeting in Chicago next week (August 24-28). Carl Fields and Jose Villasenor, both of BLET Division 682, will be on hand to meet with BLET members and answer questions. Their booth will be located in the vendors’ area throughout the week, so please be sure to visit and sign up for a training class.
The RWHMTP holds four in-person rail hazmat/chemical emergency response courses each year while also presenting various virtual courses via Zoom. This vital training provides rail workers with the essential knowledge and skills needed in the event of an unintentional hazardous materials emergency while on duty.
“Our goal is to ensure every worker goes home safe and healthy every day,” said Brother Villasenor.
In addition to Fields and Villasenor, fellow BLET members working as peer instructors for the RWHMTP include Charles Jones (Division 326), Matthew Kuhns (Division 236), and Audra Smith (Division 94).
A major contributor to the success of the RWHMTP is the International Brotherhood of Teamsters’ Education Department, which works tirelessly to secure federal grants that fund this and other worker safety and health training programs. Please download and share this PDF flyer and help spread the word about the RWHMTP’s five-day training courses, scheduled for later this year and early 2027.
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IN MEMORIAM:
Former General Chairman Jack McDermott, 1920-2026
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The BLET National Division extends deepest condolences to the family of retired BLET General Chairman Jack McDermott, who passed away on August 11 at the age of 106.
McDermott hired out with the Union Pacific in 1941 as a fireman, and was one of the last locomotive engineers qualified to operate steam locomotives on the Utah-Idaho Seniority District. He was a World War II veteran, operating steam locomotives for the U.S. Army as part of the 746th Railway Battalion in the European Theater.
A member of Division 228 in Pocatello, Idaho, McDermott served as General Chairman of the BLET’s Union Pacific-Utah/Idaho Seniority District General Committee of Adjustment (predecessor of today’s UP-Western Region GCA) from 1975 until his retirement in 1982. Many of the agreements he negotiated as General Chairman are the basis of contracts still in effect today.
McDermott was featured on the BLET website earlier this year when family members celebrated his 106th birthday.
The family plans a funeral mass at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Pocatello, Idaho, on Saturday, September 5.
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CHICAGO:
Eastern Regional Meeting begins next week
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We will be reporting to you next week from Chicago, the site of the BLET’s Eastern Regional Meeting. Last-minute registrations for meals and events will be accepted online or in person at The Drake Hotel as late as Tuesday morning, August 25.
Open and members-only closed meetings will take place on August 25. Expanded programming options will be offered on August 26, including a general health and welfare benefits seminar and a membership discussion with the BLET Executive Committee. Traditional training workshops for Local Chairmen, Legislative Representatives, and Secretary-Treasurers, along with special sessions regarding retirement/insurance benefits, will be held on August 27.
We hope to see you next week. More information and the week’s agenda can be found at the BLET’s Chicago regional meeting website.
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