Effects on Voter Participation and Unionization Activity from Changes in Railway Labor Act Election Rules

In 2010 the National Mediation Board changed the process by which airline and railroad employees certify a union. To install a collective bargaining entity, new election rules require that the majority of ballots cast be in favor of unionization. This procedure differed from the previous one, which required the majority of a craft or class of laborers to vote in favor of unionization. This study investigated the effects of the voting change on unionization and voter participation for industries covered under the Railway Labor Act. Data from airline- and railroad-related union elections were mined before and after the procedural change and analyzed. Chi-square analysis revealed no significant change in union certification efforts. The t-test results indicated a significant increase in voter participation in Railway Labor Act elections under the new election rules (p < .001).