A compromise on an arcane bit of labor law will likely result in a long-term reauthorization bill approval in the next month or so. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) have struck a deal that will require a public hearing if the National Mediation Board wants to make changes to the Railway Act to make it easier for airline employees to unionize. The Washington Post’s explanation is here.
Assuming the two leaders are correct, the resulting long-term funding will avoid a repeat of the partial shutdown of the FAA that occurred last July and allow work to commence on things like NextGen, major airport construction projects and the like. However, neither Boehner or Reid is guaranteeing the railway/union/airline compromise can be resolved in time for the expiration of the FAA’s 22nd temporary funding extension at the end of January.
