BMWED Public Statement on Canadian Pacific & Kansas City Southern Merger
Published: Mar 25 2021 2:19PM
The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters has been notified of Canadian Pacific’s (CP) proposed acquisition of control of Kansas City Southern Railway.
CP and KCS have filed a notice with the Surface Transportation Board (STB) that they intend to file an application for STB approval of the acquisition toward the end of June. It is likely that it will take approximately one year (or longer) for the STB to complete its review of the proposed transaction. The BMWED will continue to monitor the filings concerning this transaction and, if the transaction is approved, we are ready to negotiate implementing agreements with the involved Carriers.
“While this merger creates some fear and uncertainty, it also presents an opportunity. This transaction has the potential to bring additional train traffic onto American freight railroad tracks, and those tracks should be constructed, inspected and maintained by BMWED-represented railroad workers. It also presents an opportunity to bring all of CP’s and KC’s subsidiary properties under a single collective bargaining agreement, with uniform work rule, benefits and rates of pay. I hope that CP and KCS will be transparent with the BMWED throughout this process, and that we can find a way to grow its maintenance of way work force for their expanding operations.” stated BMWED-IBT President, Freddie Simpson.