PEB 254 Update – 2/10/26
(See PEB 254 Report - Update 4/02/26)
Since the establishment of the 2nd PEB (PEB 254) on January 14, 2026, there has been a dearth of information on the naming of the PEB members and the activities of the Board. Based on a recent publication by a labor organization advising its members of the PEB 254 activities, the following information is available:
Members of Presidential Emergency Board 254
· Barbara C. Deinhardt – Chairman
· Joyce M. Klein – Board Member
· James M. Darby – Board Member
Key Upcoming Dates and Deadlines
· January 28, 2026 – Submission of the full PEB 253 record to the Board
· February 13, 2026 – Final Offers due from both the Unions and the Carrier
· February 24, 2026 – Deadline for all pre-hearing submissions, including briefs, exhibits, and witness lists
· March 1–2, 2026 – PEB 254 hearings held at the National Mediation Board offices in Washington, D.C.
https://www.iam754.org/files/peb-254-letter-to-members.pdf
Please note the following quote from the Executive Order creating the PEB that specifically references Section 9A of the RLA, see 2nd Section 9a PEB established in LIRR Labor dispute (PEB 254):
Sec. 2. Report. As provided by section 9A(f) of the RLA, within 30 days after the creation of the Board, the parties to the disputes shall submit to the Board final offers for settlement of the disputes. As provided by section 9A(g) of the RLA, within 30 days after the submission of final offers for settlement of the disputes, the Board shall submit a report to the President setting forth the Board’s selection of the most reasonable offer.
While the statutory language appears quite clear that the 2nd PEB is limited to selecting either of the two offers submitted by the parties and the selection criteria is the determination of the most reasonable offer, this selection process has not gone without varying interpretations. See 3.4. Commuter Rail PEBs (§ 9A), Update 10/2025.
