April 29, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATIONAL MEDIATION BOARD

Contact: NMB Public Information Line -- (202) 692-5050

Re: Dunlop II Committee Final Report

Washington, D.C. -- The National Mediation Board (NMB) is pleased to announce that the Dunlop II Committee has released its final report to the NMB.

The NMB is an independent federal agency established by the 1934 amendments to the Railway Labor Act (RLA) to promote harmonious labor-management relations in the railroad and airline industries. The Agency's services and integrated dispute-resolution processes include Mediation, Arbitration, Representation, and Alternative Dispute Resolution programs.

Dunlop II is an independent "Dunlop Committee Reports Review Committee" formed to examine the internal functions, policies and procedures of the NMB and the recommendations of the Dunlop Commission of the 1990s. This Dunlop II Committee was asked to report to the Board its recommendations for agency improvement.

The Chairman and Members of the National Mediation Board wish to take this opportunity to thank the members and participants of the blue-ribbon Committee for their time, effort, expertise and foresight in making their review. Although non-binding, each recommendation will be carefully and fully considered by the Board.

The Dunlop II Committee met directly with over 25 representatives of the airline and railroad industries as well as with current NMB Members and Senior Staff. The views of other management and labor leaders were also solicited.

A report applicable to railroad arbitration by the Section 3 sub-committee was completed on November 24, 2009, and submitted to the Dunlop II Committee by Section 3 Co-chairmen Michael C. Lesnik (National Railway Labor Conference) and Steven V. Powers (Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division - IBT). On December 2, 2009, the Dunlop II Committee submitted an interim report recommending the re-creation of a Chief of Staff position. Those two reports along with the final report of the Dunlop II Committee are posted in the NMB website on the What’s New page and the Open Government Portal.

The Dunlop II Committee is comprised of recognized experts in labor relations with the airline and railroad industries, including participation in the original Dunlop Commission proceedings. They include:

Committee Members
Robert DeLucia, Airline Industrial Relations Conference
Kenneth Gradia, National Carriers’ Conference Committee
Joel Parker, Transportation Communications Int’l Union
Seth Rosen, International Pilots Service Corporation

Committee Facilitator
Joshua Javits, Dispute Resolution Services

Committee Advisors
Dennis Boston, Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen
Clare Burt, Association of Flight Attendants-CWA
Jerrold Glass, F & H Solutions Group
Claude Sullivan, Ford and Harrison
Roland Wilder, Baptiste & Wilder

Special Consultant
Clinton Miller, United Transportation Union

Mr. Javits, a former NMB Board Member and a professional mediator, facilitator, and arbitrator, served as the facilitator for the committee. Coordination with the Committee was handled by Mr. Daniel Rainey, NMB Director of Alternative Dispute Resolution.

For further information, please refer to the agency's website at www.nmb.gov.

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