Railway Labor Act

Under the Railway Labor Act, employee grievances arising under the terms of collective bargaining agreements (i.e., minor disputes) are subject to compulsory arbitration. Effective arbitration processes are therefore necessary to resolve such disputes. The NMB administers the processes available to the parties for resolving railroad grievances. They include: Public Law Boards Special Boards of Adjustment Read More

Christopher Beebe Director, Office of Mediation Services Mr. Beebe joined the NMB on July 31, 2023. As the Director of Mediation Services, he has overall responsibility for the administration and management of the NMB Mediation programs to assist in the negotiations of collective bargaining agreements, resolution of minor disputes through grievance mediation, and training and Read More

How to Apply for Mediation The Application for Mediation Services, Form NMB-2 (Application) must be filled out properly and signed by the individual specified in National Mediation Board’s Rules and Regulations, Section 1203.1.  When the NMB receives an Application, it reviews it to ensure it is completed properly and appropriately; improperly completed or incomplete Applications Read More

The Director of Mediation Services has overall responsibility for the administration and management of the NMB Mediation program in the airline and railroad industries. The NMB offers statutory services for the Mediation of collective bargaining disputes as well as voluntary ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution) programs for resolving management-labor disputes such as grievance mediation. ADR includes Read More

List of Presidential Emergency Boards All PEBs can be found in the Knowledge Store Rail and Air Carriers The President may create an emergency board to investigate and report on a dispute over the terms of a collective bargaining agreement. Under the Railway Labor Act, the President may exercise his discretion to create an emergency Read More

Representation requests are handled by the Office of Legal Affairs (OLA). OLA Telephone: 202-692-5040 OLA personnel Maria-Kate Dowling, General Counsel Maria-Kate Dowling joined the National Mediation Board in October 2003. Ms. Dowling is General Counsel of the National Mediation Board. As General Counsel, she serves as the Chief Legal Officer of the agency and manages Read More

Overview & FAQ Employee Representation Under the Railway Labor Act, the NMB is responsible for effectuating employee rights of self-organization where a representation dispute exists. Overview One of the purposes of the Railway Labor Act (RLA) is to effectuate employee rights to self-organization. The RLA provides that employees shall have the right to organize and Read More

The Freedom of Information Act Reading Room Our Reading Room: The National Mediation Board (NMB) makes certain types of records created by the NMB on or after November 1, 1996, available electronically on the Internet. Freedom of Information Act NMB FOIA Designations and Contacts FOIA Reference Guide How to Make a FOIA Request Frequently Requested Material Read More

How to Apply for Representation A labor organization (organization) or an individual employee can request that the NMB investigate an alleged representation dispute by filing Form NMB-1, ”Application for Investigation of Representation Dispute,” available here: Investigation of Representation Dispute Form – NMB. The organization or individual is also required to file a “Notice of Appearance” Read More

Responsibilities and Activities Recent NMB Determinations Recent Representation Cases How to Apply for Representation Sample Notice of Election and Mail Ballots Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Representation Manual (effective 7-22-2024) Railway Labor Act Notice to Employees of Air Carriers Notice to Employees of Rail Carriers Notice of Proposed Information Collection Request Frequently Asked Questions Contacts