The National Mediation Board (NMB), established by the 1934 amendments to the Railway Labor Act of 1926, is an independent U.S. Federal-government agency that facilitates labor-management relations within the nation’s railroad and airline industries. Pursuant to the Railway Labor Act, NMB programs provide dispute-resolution processes to effectively meet its statutory objectives: avoiding interruption to commerce or to the operation of any carrier; forbidding any limitation upon freedom of association among employees; providing for the prompt and orderly settlement of all disputes concerning rates of pay, rules, or working conditions; and providing for the prompt and orderly settlement of all disputes growing out of grievances related to the implementation and management of collective bargaining agreements.

The NMB is headed by a three-member board nominated by the President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. The members self-designate a Chairman, typically on a yearly basis. Although appointed for three-year terms, members may serve until replaced.