Establishing a Second Emergency Board To Investigate Disputes Between the Long Island Rail Road Company and Certain of Its Employees Represented by Certain Labor Organizations
- Executive Order Number
- 14374
- President
- Donald Trump
- Signed
- January 14, 2026
- Published
- January 20, 2026
- Source
- Federal Register
- Original Document
- https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-01-20/pdf/2026-01061.pdf
AI-Generated Summary
Executive Order 14374 Summary
Purpose
Establishes a second Emergency Board under section 9A of the Railway Labor Act (RLA, 45 U.S.C. 159a) to investigate ongoing labor disputes between the Long Island Rail Road Company (LIRR) and certain employees represented by specific labor organizations, following the failure of a prior board's recommendations.
Key Actions or Directives
- Board Establishment (Sec. 1): Creates a Board (chair + two members, appointed by the President) effective 12:01 a.m. EST on January 16, 2026, with members required to be impartial; subject to fund availability.
- Report Process (Sec. 2): Parties submit final settlement offers within 30 days of Board creation; Board selects the "most reasonable offer" and reports to the President within another 30 days.
- Status Quo Maintenance (Sec. 3): Parties must maintain pre-dispute conditions from the request date until 60 days after the Board's report, absent mutual agreement.
- Administrative Provisions:
- Records maintained by the National Mediation Board (Sec. 4).
- Board terminates upon report submission (Sec. 5).
- Department of Transportation covers publication costs (Sec. 6).
Significant Changes to Policy or Law
- No new policy or legal changes; implements existing RLA section 9A procedures for a second emergency board after the first (established by EO 14349 on September 16, 2025) failed to resolve disputes.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: National Mediation Board handles records; minor administrative burden on the President and Department of Transportation.
- Labor and Rail Operations: Prevents strikes or changes during the process, potentially averting disruptions to LIRR services affecting commuters in the New York region.
- Citizens: Maintains rail service stability; could influence future wage/working conditions for affected employees.
- No direct international relations impact.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Long Island Rail Road Company (LIRR): Carrier in disputes.
- Labor Organizations: Transportation Communications Union; Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen; Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen; International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers; International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
- U.S. Government: President (appoints Board), National Mediation Board (records), Department of Transportation (costs).
- Indirectly: LIRR passengers and regional economy reliant on rail service.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Directly invokes presidential authority under RLA section 9A(e), mandating a second board upon request; enforces status quo to prevent service interruptions in critical transportation sector.
- Constitutional: Relies on Article II executive powers and statutory delegation; no apparent conflicts.
- Political: Neutral intervention in private-sector labor dispute to ensure transportation continuity; follows statutory process without favoring parties.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.