Posts tagged Railway Labor Act
Long Island Rail Road Strike Looms, as M.T.A. and Unions Reach Impasse
April 13, 2026 // Five unions representing more than 3,500 workers have threatened for months to walk off the job unless they receive bigger raises than other divisions of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the state agency that runs the railroad. The unions, which represent engineers, machinists, signalmen and other jobs critical to the rail operation, are seeking a retroactive 9.5 percent wage increase covering the last three years — the same offered to many other New York transit and civil servant unions. But they also want an additional 5 percent raise starting in 2026. The M.T.A. has argued that such a divergence in pay would upset the typical pattern for wage increases established with other groups, and would not be feasible unless the unions compromised on other aspects of the contract.
Federal judge tosses Brightline suit, upholding workers’ vote to unionize
April 3, 2026 // The case centered on whether Brightline qualifies as a railroad under federal labor law. Brightline argued that because it operates only within Florida and is not regulated by the Surface Transportation Board, it should not fall under the Railway Labor Act, the law that governs rail and airline labor relations. If the judge had agreed, the union election would have been invalid. Judge Gayles rejected that argument, saying the law does not limit labor protections only to railroads regulated by the Surface Transportation Board. He also pointed out that Brightline received federal grants to help build and improve its rail system. Under federal law, companies that use rail infrastructure built with those funds are considered rail carriers and must follow federal railroad labor laws, including allowing workers to organize.
NLRB Relinquishes Jurisdiction Over SpaceX, Abandoning Yearslong Legal Battle
February 17, 2026 // On January 14, 2026, the NMB issued an opinion stating that SpaceX should be covered by the RLA because “space transport includes air travel.” Notably, the fired SpaceX engineers argued that SpaceX does not belong under the NMB because Congress never gave the agency jurisdiction over commercial space transportation, and because unlike airlines serving the general public, SpaceX offers rides only to “hand-picked customers.” These arguments were rejected by the NMB. Citing to that NMB determination, the NLRB regional director reasoned that it lacks jurisdiction over SpaceX and dismissed the pending unfair labor practice complaint.
Largest Flight Attendant Union In The U.S. Faces Computer Fraud Allegations In Ongoing Skywest Unionization Lawsuit
December 15, 2025 // A federal judge has allowed a counterclaim accusing the largest flight attendant union in the United States of conspiracy to commit computer fraud to proceed following months of legal wrangling in a Utah District Court. The contentious allegations were made against the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA-CWA) by a staff association representing crew members at the major regional carrier SkyWest, which provides services to the likes of Alaska Airlines, Delta, and United Airlines.
Sun Country and its fleet employees reach tentative agreement on first union contract
October 7, 2025 // Sun Country Airline’s 240 ground workers who handle luggage and guide airplanes at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport are on track to ink their first-ever union contract. The Minneapolis-based leisure airline and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters reached a tentative collective bargaining agreement Thursday. Workers soon will vote on whether to ratify it.
No LIRR strike for at least 4 months as Trump steps in on labor dispute
September 17, 2025 // The emergency board will probe the contract fight and prevent and mediate negotiations under the Railway Labor Act, which triggers a 120-day “cooling off period.” That means neither the MTA nor the unions can change wages, hours or working conditions — and workers cannot legally strike — for roughly four months unless both sides agree to a deal.
New Study Finds Unions Promise More, Deliver Less for Workers
August 29, 2025 // From 2015 to 2024, wages in most unionized NLRA jobs grew by 26%. In contrast, the least unionized NLRA jobs grew by 36%, the fastest growth of any group studied. “These findings underscore that over the past decade workers have not realized gains from aggressive union leader tactics” said Eric Hoplin, CEO of NAW. “In fact, the opposite trend is clear: the least unionized workers have seen greater wage growth.”
Hundreds of Lufthansa Technicians at Rafael Hernandez International Airport Secure Vote to Remove IAM Union
August 13, 2025 // Majority of technicians signed petition demanding union ouster vote; IAM officials used allegations against employer in unsuccessful attempt to block vote
Delta workers push for a vote to unionize in MN
January 27, 2025 // Gores said it’s not as easy for them to unionize like other companies. He said they are restricted by the railway labor act. Employees have to sign an authorization cards that are only valid for one year. He said it’s challenging to get people to resign each year. Gores said they need 9,000 or more authorization cards to be able to file for an election.
Brightline files lawsuit challenging onboard attendants’ unionizing effort in Florida
January 23, 2025 // The National Mediation Board ruled in favor of the union in November, thereby rejecting Brightline’s argument that they did not fall under their jurisdiction. A mail ballot election began last November, lasting through Tuesday, Jan. 14. A vote count revealed that onboard attendants voted 30 to 17 in favor of unionization, with 36 additional eligible voters sitting the election out.