Establishing an Emergency Board To Investigate a Dispute Between Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority and Its Locomotive Engineers Represented by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen

President Bush establishes a three-member emergency board under the Railway Labor Act to investigate an unresolved labor dispute between SEPTA and its locomotive engineers represented by BLET. The board takes effect July 8, 2006, must report within 30 days, and during its existence plus 120 days total, neither party may change disputed working conditions without mutual agreement.

Federal Register Open PDF 71 FR 38511

Impact dates

Date TBD
Board terminates upon report submission
Nov 5, 2006
Status quo period ends (120 days from board creation)
Aug 7, 2006
Board must report to President
Jul 8, 2006
Emergency board takes effect

Key directives

Establish 3-member emergency board effective July 8, 2006
Board members must have no financial or other interest in railroad employee organizations or carriers
Board must report within 30 days of creation
Maintain status quo for 120 days from board creation
Transfer records to National Mediation Board upon termination

Timeline

Immediate

Emergency board established July 8, 2006 at 12:01 a.m. EDT
Status quo freeze on disputed conditions takes effect

Near term (90d)

Board must report to President by August 7, 2006 (30 days after creation)
Status quo period extends through November 5, 2006 (120 days total from creation)

Long term

Board terminates upon report submission
Records transferred to National Mediation Board custody

Risks & tensions

Standard RLA procedure; no unusual procedural tensions flagged
Impact limited to single transit authority and single union local
Funding contingency ('subject to availability of funds') noted but routine