In a sense the merger will bring the founders of each company full circle.

"We don't know yet if the merger will bring further cuts, but everybody is nervous," said a union official who asked not to be identified.

Though the companies are in the same business, they did not promise that their merger would bring huge cost savings.

The merger brought about a reconstruction of both staff and student administrative units.

The mergers brought the firm's total to 19 offices nationwide.

Two more mergers brought the congregation to its present status.

The merger, however, may not bring about the cost savings that had been expected.

Six years later, one more merger brought the number down to 589.

While that is expected to lead to a loss of about 7,000 jobs, the number is far smaller than a full merger might have brought.

Historical name changes and mergers with many different firms have brought the partnership to where it is today.