E8-25970. Notice of Proposed Information Collection Requests

AGENCY:

National Mediation Board.

SUMMARY:

The Director, Office of Administration, invites comments on the proposed information collection requests as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments within 30 days from the date of this publication.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Section 3506 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (U.S.C. Chapter 35) requires that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) provide interested Federal agencies and the public an early opportunity to comment on information collection requests. OMB may amend or waive the requirement for public consultation to the extent that public participation in the approval process would defeat the purpose of the information collection, violate State or Federal law, or substantially interfere with any agency's ability to perform its statutory obligations. The Director, Office of Administration, publishes that notice containing proposed information collection requests prior to submission of these requests to OMB. Each proposed information collection contains the following: (1) Type of review requested, e.g., new, revision extension, existing or reinstatement; (2) Title; (3) Summary of the collection; (4) Description of the need for, and proposed use of, the information; (5) Respondents and frequency of collection; and (6) Reporting and/or Record keeping burden. OMB invites public comment.

Currently, the National Mediation Board is soliciting comments concerning the proposed extension of the Application for Mediation Services and is interested in public comment addressing the following issues: (1) Is this collection necessary to the proper functions of the agency; (2) will this information be processed and used in a timely manner; (3) is the estimate of burden accurate; (4) how might the agency enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (5) how might the agency minimize the burden of this collection on the respondents, including through the use of information technology.

Dated: October 27, 2008.

June D.W. King,

Director, Office of Administration, National Mediation Board.

Application for Mediation Services

Type of Review: Extension.

Title: Application for Mediation Services, OMB Number: 3140-0002.

Frequency: On occasion.

Affected Public: Carrier and Union Officials, and employees of railroads and airlines.

Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden:

 Responses: 50 annually.

 Burden Hours: 12.50.

Abstract: Section 5, First of the Railway Labor Act, 45 U.S.C., 155, First, provides that both, or either, of the parties to the labor-management dispute may invoke the mediation services of the National Mediation Board. Congress has determined that it is in the nation's best interest to provide for governmental mediation as the primary dispute resolution mechanism to resolve labor-management disputes in the railroad and airline industries. The Railway Labor Act is silent as to how the invocation of mediation is to be accomplished and the Board has not promulgated regulations requiring any specific vehicle. Nonetheless, 29 CFR 1203.1 provides that applications for mediation services be made on printed forms which may be secured from the National Mediation Board. This section of the regulations provides that applications should be submitted in duplicate, show the exact nature of the dispute, the number of employees involved, name of the carrier and name of the labor organization, date of agreement between the parties, date and copy of notice served by the invoking party to the other and date of final conference between the parties. The application should be signed by the highest officer of the carrier who has been designated to handle disputes under the Railway Labor Act or by the chief executive of the labor organization, whichever party files the application.

The extension of this form is necessary considering the information provided by the parties is used by the Board to structure a mediation process that will be productive to the parties and result in a settlement without resort to strike or lockout. The Board has been very successful in resolving labor disputes in the railroad and airline industries. Historically, some 97 percent of all NMB mediation cases have been successfully resolved without interruptions to public service. Since 1980, only slightly more than 1 percent of cases have involved a disruption of service. This success ratio would possibly be reduced if the Board was unable to collect the brief information that it does in the application for mediation services.

Requests for copies of the proposed information collection request may be accessed from www.nmb.gov or should be addressed to Denise Murdock, NMB, 1301 K Street, NW., Suite 250 E, Washington, DC 20005 or addressed to the e-mail address [e-mail] or faxed to 202-692-5081. Please specify the complete title of the information collection when making your request.

Comments regarding burden and/or the collection activity requirements should be directed to June D.W. King at 202-692-5010 or via Internet address [e-mail]. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD/TDY) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.