Originally from Dispute Resolution Journal

This article examines the appropriateness of continued public funding for the arbitration of grievances in the railroad industry under Section 3, First (i), of the Railway Labor Act. It also considers what the appropriate level for funding should be if Congress determines that public financing for railroad grievance settlement should continue.

In exploring these questions, the history and nature of funding for railroad grievances and the arguments for and against continued public funding are examined. The author concludes that public funding is appropriate and that funding levels in recent years have been increasingly inadequate. While he argues that the integrity of the basic system is still sound and that the continuation of the system is in the public interest, he also recognizes that some modifications may be necessary in order to preserve the future viability of the institution.