45 U.S.C. § 156 — Procedure in changing rates of pay, rules, and working conditions

This section sets out steps carriers (railroads) and employee representatives (unions) must follow before changing agreements about pay, work rules, or working conditions. First, whichever side wants to make a change must give the other side at least 30 days' written notice. Second, the two sides must agree on a time and place to start talking about the change. They have to agree on this within 10 days after the notice is received, and the meeting itself must happen within the 30-day notice period. Third, once notice has been given — or once the two sides are meeting to talk about it, or either side has asked the National Mediation Board for help, or the Mediation Board has offered to help — the carrier cannot change the pay, rules, or working conditions. This freeze lasts until the dispute is fully resolved the way section 155 of this title requires, through the Mediation Board. The only exception: if 10 days have passed since talks ended and neither side has asked for or been offered the Mediation Board's help, the freeze ends.