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1 1 (November 18, 2022)

handle is hein.crs/govejlc0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congressional ______ Res'earch Service The Railway Labor Act and Congressional Action November 18, 2022 The Railway Labor Act (RLA; 45 U.S.C. §§ 151 et seq.) governs disputes between railway carriers and labor unions. Since 2019, negotiations between labor unions representing railway employees and the National Carriers' Conference Committee, which represents the railway carriers, over employee pay, hours of service, and benefits have been ongoing. In September 2022, following recommendations by the Presidential Emergency Board, the parties reached a tentative agreement, subject to ratification by union members. The members of at least three unions have since voted to reject their contracts with the carriers, jeopardizing the agreement. At present, these unions have announced that their cooling-off period, when they maintain the status quo, is to end on December 9, 2022. A railway strike is possible if the parties do not reach an agreement by the end of this period. In light of the recent developments in negotiations, Congress may consider various options, including extending the cooling-off period or implementing the terms of either an unratified agreement or the recommendations of the Presidential Emergency Board. This Sidebar provides background on the RLA and legislative action in resolving past disputes, examines the current dispute, and discusses considerations for Congress. Railway Labor Act (RLA) Congress enacted the RLA in 1926 in response to the nation's growing reliance on railroads and as part of a pattern of federal attempts at regulating labor relations in the industry. The statute is broken into two subchapters, with the first generally dealing with the railway carriers and the second, added by amendment in 1936, dealing with air carriers. The statute's purposes, stated in 45 U.S.C. § 151a, are to prevent any interruption to commerce or to the operation of any carrier; forbid any limitation on the right of employees to join a labor union; provide for the independence of carriers and employees in self- organization; and provide prompt settlement of disputes concerning rates of pay, rules, or working conditions and disputes growing out of grievances or the interpretation or application of agreements. The RLA provides dispute resolution processes for railway carriers and labor unions, as well as establishes a National Railroad Adjustrnent Board (NRAB) and a National Mediation Board (NMB). The NRAB, which is an adjudicatory board, has primary jurisdiction over minor disputes growing out of grievances or out of the interpretation or application of agreements between rail labor unions and carriers. Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov LSB10861 CRS Legal Sidebar Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress

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