Executive Order 13586—Establishing an Emergency Board To Investigate Disputes Between Certain Railroads Represented by the National Carriers’ Conference Committee of the National Railway Labor Conference and Their Employees Represented by Certain Labor Organizations
October 6, 2011

Disputes exist between certain railroads represented by the National Carriers’ Conference Committee of the National Railway Labor Conference and their employees represented by certain labor organizations. The railroads and labor organizations involved in these disputes are designated on the attached list, which is made part of this order.

The disputes have not heretofore been adjusted under the provisions of the Railway Labor Act, as amended, 45 U.S.C. 151–188 (RLA).

I have been notified by the National Mediation Board that in its judgment these disputes threaten substantially to interrupt interstate commerce to a degree that would deprive a section of the country of essential transportation service.

Now, Therefore, by the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, including section 10 of the RLA (45 U.S.C. 160), it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1.Establishment of Emergency Board (Board). There is established, effective 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on October 7, 2011, a Board composed of a chair and four other members, all five of whom shall be appointed by the President to investigate and report on these disputes. No member shall be pecuniarily or otherwise interested in any organization of railroad employees or any carrier. The Board shall perform its functions subject to the availability of funds.

Sec. 2.Report. The Board shall report to the President with respect to the disputes within 30 days of its creation.

Sec. 3.Maintaining Conditions. As provided by section 10 of the RLA, from the date of the creation of the Board and for 30 days after the Board has submitted its report to the President, no change in the conditions out of which the disputes arose shall be made by the parties to the controversy, except by agreement of the parties.

Sec. 4.Records Maintenance. The records and files of the Board are records of the Office of the President and upon the Board’s termination shall be maintained in the physical custody of the National Mediation Board.

Sec. 5.Expiration. The Board shall terminate upon the submission of the report provided for in section 2 of this order.

BARACK OBAMA

The White House,

October 6, 2011.

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 11:15 a.m., October 11, 2011]

NOTE: This Executive order and its attached annex were published in the Federal Register on October 12.