Union Pacific (UNP) and Norfolk Southern (NSC) secured majority union support for their proposed merger. The companies reached a jobs-for-life agreement with the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation's Railroad Mechanical Department (SMART-MD).
The U.S. Surface Transportation Board (STB) continues its formal review of the combination. Regulators recently denied motions from opponents to dismiss the merger application.
The transaction aims to create the first single-line railroad connecting the U.S. Atlantic and Pacific coasts. Management expects the deal to close in the second half of 2027.