Mediator (Railroads or Airlines)

About the role

The National Mediation Board (NMB) promotes the flow of interstate commerce in the U.S. Airline and Railroad industries through mediation, representation, and arbitration of labor-management disputes. The incumbent will be responsible for mediation of collective bargaining disputes. This position may require extensive travel and irregular duty hours. Only experience obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered. Basic Specialized Experience Requirement: Experience in negotiating or interpreting labor agreements covering a large number of employees or a number of different crafts or classes, on such matters as wages, hours of work, and working conditions; or in mediating between, or negotiating with, management and employee representatives in the application of labor agreements. Such experience must have demonstrated all of the following: Knowledge of the background history of industrialization and the labor movement. Knowledge of economic, industrial, and labor trends, of current developments and problems in the field of labor-management relations, and of changes and trends in union agreements. Knowledge of collective-bargaining principles, practices, and procedures. Knowledge of the general structure, functions, policies, and practices of management and labor organizations. Knowledge of applicable laws governing collective bargaining, wages, hours, etc. Ability to deal effectively with people in tense situations. Ability to preside at meetings or conferences with dignity, poise, and impartiality. Ability to confer effectively with representatives of labor and management in order to obtain a clear understanding of their views on varied and difficult problems. Ability to analyze the issues in a dispute and evaluate their relative importance and susceptibility to compromise. Ability to formulate concrete and practical suggestions for alternative solution, compromise, and settlement. Ability to write clearly and concisely. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include: Work as a representative of a national labor organization or of management. Federal or State government or other work that involved dealing with labor relations problems and collective-bargaining agreements or that involved interpretation or application of labor laws, regulations, etc. In addition to meeting the requirements described above, applicants for positions at GS-12 and above must have: Knowledge of the Railway Labor Act, as amended, and the history of railroad and airline legislation and the background of working agreements in these industries. Knowledge of current railroad and airline operations and practices, and of current railroad and airline occupations and crafts or classes, and understanding of the problems arising in the interpretation and application of railroad and airline agreements. Applicants for positions at grades GS-12 and above must have had experience that included such activities as: (1) investigating representation disputes and conducting elections to choose collective-bargaining representatives, or (2) the mediation of increases in pay rates, or (3) the mediation of changes in rules or labor agreements. To be creditable as specialized experience, the work must have demonstrated active involvement in labor-management negotiations. In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below: At the GS-13 level, you must meet the following qualification: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level. Specialized experience is that which has equipped the applicant with the competencies to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience for this position includes: Demonstrated expertise in the historical development of industrialization and the labor movement, with experience analyzing current labor-management economic trends and shifts in union agreements; Demonstrated expertise in collective-bargaining principles, management functions, and labor-organization structures, with experience with laws governing collective bargaining, wages, and hours; Demonstrated experience applying effective interpersonal skills to manage tense or sensitive situations, lead meetings with dignity and impartiality, and engage constructively with both labor and management to understand and address complex issues. At the GS-14 level, you must meet the following qualification: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-13 level. Specialized experience is that which has equipped the applicant with the competencies to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience for this position includes: Demonstrated expertise in the history of industrialization and the labor movement, alongside applying insights into

Your Match

How well this role fits your profile.

Company Intel

What employees say

Worked at National Mediation Board? Share your experience