National Mediation Board
The National Mediation Board (NMB) is an independent agency of the United States government 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 process to meet the statutory objective of minimizing strikes and other work stoppages in the airline and railroad industries. The NMB's integrated processes specifically are designed to promote three statutory goals: 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. The US Congress also has the power  to impose a contract, but that has rarely happened in recent years. Board Members. The Board is composed of 3 members, nominated by the President of the United States, with the advice and consent of the Senate, for a term of three years. By statute 45 U.S.C. § 154, “not more than two [...] shall be of the same political party”. At the end of a term of office a member may continue to serve until a successor is appointed or they are renominated.