Union Warns Consolidation Risks Layoffs, Industry Stability, and Labor Standards
WASHINGTON, March 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The International Brotherhood of Teamsters told the Department of Justice (DOJ) this week that the proposed merger between Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery poses a direct threat to film and television workers nationwide, including nearly 15,000 rank-and-file Motion Picture Teamsters. The 1.3-million-member union submitted a detailed report this week to the DOJ’s Antitrust Division outlining these concerns and is urging the DOJ to intervene and block the deal unless substantial and enforceable safeguards are put in place to increase domestic production and protect jobs.
“This merger threatens the livelihoods of the very workers who built these studios into industry giants,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. “We’ve seen what happens when corporations consolidate power: jobs disappear, production leaves American communities, and workers pay the price. The DOJ has a responsibility to stop deals that eliminate competition and harm working families. Unless Paramount and Warner Bros. can guarantee enforceable protections for domestic production and labor standards, this merger can’t be allowed to move forward.”
The merger would consolidate two of the five major studios in Hollywood and combine streaming platforms HBO Max and Paramount+, further concentrating decision-making power in an industry already dominated by only a few corporations. Previous mergers have a well-documented track record of harming workers — Disney’s 2019 acquisition of 20th Century Fox resulted in eliminated production units, significant job losses, and canceled projects. Paramount and Warner Bros. have not yet announced any enforceable merger-specific benefits to workers or standards to combat these risks and have done nothing to suggest they will.
“The film and television industry has been in a fragile and fluctuating state for the last several years and entertainment workers are simply trying to survive through that instability. Another mega‑merger is the last thing this industry needs,” said Teamsters Motion Picture Division Director Lindsay Dougherty. “This story is not new. Greed-fueled consolidation of corporate power is a direct threat to good union jobs and the livelihood of our members. We will not stand by while corporate executives try to consolidate power even further at the expense of the people who make every movie, every show, and every streaming platform possible. Motion Picture Teamsters are urgently reminding the DOJ that it has an obligation to step in to protect workers and prevent any further damage. Our number one priority continues to be the employment of our members, and we will continue to call for opposition across all levels of government to reject any deal that threatens jobs while consolidating power and market share.”
Under federal antitrust law, the DOJ must challenge mergers that threaten competition in any market. The Teamsters will only support a deal that includes enforceable commitments to increasing and maintaining domestic production, strong labor standards, and guarantees against layoffs and erosion of union jobs. Without such protections, the Teamsters call on the DOJ to sue to block the merger entirely.
Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.3 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow us on X @Teamsters and on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters.
Contact:
Kara Deniz, (202) 497-6610
kdeniz@teamster.org
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SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters
