To better understand how rail labor and management reach agreements on rates of pay and work rules, the BLET has produced a series of briefs, Understanding collective bargaining under the Railway Labor Act, explaining how the Railway Labor Act of 1926 works. This federal law only applies to railroads and airlines and their workers.
The RLA and its amendments spell out the process of collective bargaining that eventually leads to each new contract. Negotiations can take months or years because of the many steps (some of which have time limits while others do not) available to both parties.
Under the RLA, contracts never expire. They can, however, become amendable after parties exchange notices of intent. These notices are referred to Section 6 notices, after the part of the RLA that governs them.
After the exchange of Section 6 notices and the formal opening of bargaining talks, Status Quo is maintained.
STEP 1: Notice is served under Section 6 of the Railway Labor Act by either party (usually called “Section 6 Notices”).
STEP 2: reply required within 10 days setting time, date of initial conference, which must be held within 30 days.
STEP 3: Negotiations begin. No time limit.
Photo courtesy of Cory Rusch, BLET Division 659