Legal Definitions - National Mediation Board

The National Mediation Board (NMB) is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government. Its primary role is to help resolve disagreements between labor unions and management in the airline and railroad industries. The NMB steps in to mediate these disputes, aiming to prevent strikes or lockouts that could disrupt vital transportation services. Additionally, it offers administrative and financial assistance to help resolve employee grievances specifically within the railroad industry.

Here are some examples of how the National Mediation Board operates:

• Imagine a major airline and its flight attendants' union are in a deadlock over a new collective bargaining agreement. The union is threatening a strike, and the airline is considering a lockout, which would ground flights nationwide. In this scenario, the National Mediation Board would step in. Its mediators would work with both sides, facilitating discussions and proposing solutions to help them reach a mutually acceptable agreement, thereby preventing a widespread disruption to air travel.

• Consider a large freight railroad company and its union representing track maintenance workers. They are unable to agree on new wage scales and benefits, leading to stalled negotiations. If the dispute escalates and threatens to impact the movement of goods across the country, the National Mediation Board would offer its services. NMB mediators would guide the parties through intensive negotiation sessions, helping them bridge their differences and avoid a work stoppage that could cripple supply chains.

• A regional passenger rail service has a significant number of unresolved employee complaints regarding working conditions and disciplinary actions. The union representing these employees is struggling to process these grievances efficiently with management. The National Mediation Board could provide administrative and financial support to the railroad industry's grievance adjustment process, helping to streamline the resolution of these issues and ensure fair treatment for employees, even if it's not a full-blown contract dispute.