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R

Railway Labor Act, 1926

A law that provided what was perhaps the first “win-win scenario” for labor and management. Railroad management wanted to keep the trains moving, which meant they needed to end “wildcat” strikes. Railroad workers wanted to organize, to be recognized as the exclusive bargaining agent in dealing with the railroad, and to negotiate and enforce agreements. The Railway Labor Act addressed both issues. The Railway Labor Act is also significant in that it is where the “work now, grieve later” rule originated. In an effort to keep the rails running, which Congress felt was in the public's interest, Congress mandated that when disputes arise in the workplace, transportation workers covered by the RLA must “work now and grieve ...