| Complaint/Problem: Regarding An Airline |
Employment Issues
Typical employment complaints and grievances involve wages, hours, benefits, and working conditions covering a broad range of issues that are normally covered in a collective-bargaining agreement (a union/management labor agreement) or an employee handbook of the carrier, including hiring and termination issues.
Regardless of whether you joined the union, was your work group represented by a labor union?
If yes, Click here.
If no, Click here.
Statutory Disputes/Unfair Labor Practices
Regarding violations of employee rights to organize and negotiate with management, or not, regarding wages, hours, benefits, and working conditions, click here.
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| Complaint/Problem: Airline Or Railroad with Union Representation |
The NMB has no authority to investigate or remedy employee grievances against an employer. The role of the National Mediation Board in the airline and railroad industries is to conduct representation elections and to mediate agreement between the carrier and union in collective bargaining negotiations.
A union certified by the NMB is the sole bargaining representative of the certified group of employees (craft or class) as to wages, hours, benefits, and working conditions. If you feel your employer is not properly applying the collective bargaining agreement, the grievance procedure in the carrier/union collective bargaining agreement is the appropriate channel for union represented employees in the airlines and railroads to follow. For a list of issues that may be covered by your collective-bargaining agreement, review the table-of-contents or index of the agreement/contract.
Whether or not a union is required to progress an employee grievance to arbitration is usually a matter of union discretion; employees represented by a union should refer to the negotiated grievance process in their Collective Bargaining Agreement for specific guidance.
When a grievance is progressed to arbitration by the parties and the grievant wishes to appeal (set-aside) the arbitrator decision or award, it is done through the courts. Arbitration decisions are final and binding under the RLA with very limited grounds for judicial review, and the grievant has up to two years from the date of the arbitrator’s ruling to seek the set-aside. You may want to consult with your union representative about this possibility or discuss your options with a private attorney.
If you are a railroad employee, have properly filed a grievance with your union, and are not satisfied with the results of the grievance procedure, you may consider consulting with your union representative concerning the procedures and requirements for filing a grievance "as an individual" with the National Railroad Adjustment Board (NRAB), or you may contact the NRAB directly at 312-751-4688. "Filing as an individual" means that you wish to pursue your grievance with the NRAB without the assistance or support of your union. This option does not apply to airline employees because there is no National Airline Adjustment Board.
Also, if you believe your airline or railroad employer has violated your rights to organize and negotiate with management on matters of wages, hours, benefits and working conditions, click here.
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| Complaint/Problem: Airline Or Railroad w/o Union Representation |
If your work group (craft or class) is not represented for the purpose of collective-bargaining by a labor union, you are directly subject to company policy. You should consult with company officials or review company policy regarding appropriate internal-company procedures for pursuing your complaint or grievance. Alternatively, you may consult with a private attorney regarding your rights and options.
If however, you believe your employer is in violation of a law of the United States, you can consult with a private attorney or contact the government agency that has jurisdiction over such matter. For a sample list of employment laws, click here.
Also, if you believe your airline or railroad employer has violated your rights to organize and negotiate with management on matters of wages, hours, benefits and working conditions, click here.
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