The U.S. National Mediation Board (NMB), the federal government agency that oversees labor-management relations in the rail and airline sectors, has proposed amending its election procedures to make it easier for workers to organize. It would permit a majority of workers who actually vote to decide the election and stop assigning “no” votes to workers who do not participate. As of this writing, the NMB has solicited public comment on the proposed rule change; after the comment period, a final rule will be issued.
The new rules would finally permit airline and rail workers to vote for unions under the same standards as other private sector workers (covered by the National Labor Relations Act). The AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department and its 32 unions requested the NMB to allow airline and railroad workers to vote either “Yes” or “No” for union representation and to determine the outcome by a majority of the votes cast.