National Mediation Board

• Pages: 471-475

NATIONAL MEDIATION BOARD

1301 K Street NW., Suite 250 East, Washington, DC 20572

Phone, 202-692-5000. Internet, www.nmb.gov.

Chairman Harry R. Hoglander

Members Edward J. Fitzmaurice, Jr., Read Van de Water

Director, Mediation Services Larry Gibbons

Senior Mediators Les Parmelee, Patricia Sims

Director, Alternative Dispute Daniel Rainey

Resolution

Senior Mediator (Alternative Linda Puchala

Dispute Resolution)

Public Information Officer Donald West

General Counsel, Office of Legal Mary Johnson

Affairs

Associate General Counsel Kate Dowling

Senior Counsel Benetta Mansfield

Counsels Cristina Bonaca, Susanna Fisher, Norman Graber, Eileen M. Hennessey

Director, Arbitration Services Roland Watkins

Director, Administration June King

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The National Mediation Board assists in maintaining a free flow of commerce in therailroadand airlineindustries by resolving labor-

management disputes that could disrupt travel or imperil the economy. The Board also handles railroad and airline

employee representation disputes and provides administrative and financial support in adjusting grievances in the railroad industry.

The National Mediation Board (NMB), established by the 1934 amendments to the Railway Labor Act (RLA) of 1926 (45 U.S.C. 151-158, 160-162,

1181-1188), is an independent agency performing a central role in facilitating harmonious labor-management relations within two of the Nation's key transportation sectors--the railroads and airlines. Pursuant to the RLA, NMB programs provide an integrated dispute resolution process that effectively meets the NMB's statutory mandate to minimize work stoppages by securing voluntary agreements.

The RLA has five general purposes, as follows:

--to avoid interruptions to interstate commerce in the airline and railroad industries;

--to ensure the right of employees to freely determine whether they wish to be represented for collective bargaining purposes;

--to ensure the independence of labor and management for self-

organization to carry out the purposes of the act;

--to provide for the settlement of collective bargaining disputes; and

--to provide for the settlement of disputes over the interpretation of existing collective bargaining agreements.

The Railway Labor Act of 1926 provided for mandatory mediation and interest arbitration in contract negotiations, as well as for section 10 Presidential Emergency Boardsto enhance dispute resolution...