National Mediation Board
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The National Mediation Board (NMB) is an independent agency of the
United States government The Federal Government of the United States of America (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the Federation#Federal governments, national government of the United States. The U.S. federal government is composed of three distinct ...
that coordinates labor-management relations within the U.S. railroads and airlines industries.


History

The board was established by the 1934 amendments to the Railway Labor Act of 1926 and is headed by a three-person panel of Presidential appointees. NMB programs provide an integrated
dispute resolution Dispute resolution or dispute settlement is the process of resolving disputes between parties. The term ''dispute resolution'' is '' conflict resolution'' through legal means. Prominent venues for dispute settlement in international law incl ...
process to meet the statutory objective of minimizing strikes and other work stoppages in the
airline An airline is a company that provides civil aviation, air transport services for traveling passengers or freight (cargo). Airlines use aircraft to supply these services and may form partnerships or Airline alliance, alliances with other airlines ...
and
railroad Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport using wheeled vehicles running in railway track, tracks, which usually consist of two parallel steel railway track, rails. Rail transport is one of the two primary means of ...
industries. The NMB's integrated processes specifically are designed to promote three statutory goals: * The prompt and orderly resolution of disputes arising out of the negotiation of new or revised
collective bargaining Collective bargaining is a process of negotiation between employers and a group of employees aimed at agreements to regulate working salaries, working conditions, benefits, and other aspects of workers' compensation and labour rights, rights for ...
agreements; * The effectuation of employee rights of self-organization where a representation dispute exists; and * The prompt and orderly resolution of disputes over the interpretation or application of existing agreements.


Contracts

Under the Railway Labor Act, an airline or railroad union contract does not expire; it remains in force and amendable until a new contract is ratified by the union members or either side exercises "self-help," which could be a strike by employees or a lockout by management. Before this can happen, the NMB-appointed mediator must declare an impasse in negotiations, which starts a 30-day cooling off period, during which negotiations continue. Once the 30-day period has passed, either side is free to exercise self-help, unless the President authorizes a Presidential Emergency Board, which issues non-binding recommendations followed by another 30-day cooling off period. The
US Congress The United States Congress is the legislature, legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, including a Lower house, lower body, the United States House of Representatives, ...
also has the power to impose a contract, as they did for railroads in 2022.


Board members

The Board is composed of three members, nominated by the
President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal government of t ...
, with the advice and consent of the Senate, for terms of three years. The terms are staggered, so one term expires on July 1 every year. At the end of their term of office a member may continue to serve until a successor takes office, or they are themselves confirmed for another term. The board annually designates a member to act as chairman. Two members of the board constitutes a quorum.


Current board members

The current board members :


See also

*
Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations CFR Title 29 - Labor is one of fifty titles comprising the United States ''Code of Federal Regulations In the law of the United States, the ''Code of Federal Regulations'' (''CFR'') is the codification of the general and permanent regulat ...
* Newlands Labor Act *
National Labor Relations Board The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is an Independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the federal government of the United States that enforces United States labor law, U.S. labor law in relation to collect ...
*
Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (United States) The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) is an Independent agencies of the United States federal government, independent agency of the United States government that provides conflict resolution services to private and public workers ...


References


External links

*
National Mediation Board
in the
Federal Register The ''Federal Register'' (FR or sometimes Fed. Reg.) is the government gazette, official journal of the federal government of the United States that contains government agency rules, proposed rules, and public notices. It is published every wee ...
1934 establishments in the United States Government agencies established in 1934 Independent agencies of the United States government Labor relations boards Mediation {{US-gov-stub