Economy, finance and labor

Executive Order 13670: Establishing an Emergency Board To Investigate Disputes Between the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority and Certain of Its Employees Represented by Certain Labor Organizations

President: Barack Obama

Created a Presidential Emergency Board to investigate labor disputes involving SEPTA commuter rail employees.

Status: In effect. Is Executive Order 13670 still in effect? Yes. Executive Order 13670 remains in effect. See Federal Register record.

What does Executive Order 13670 do?

EO 13670 established Presidential Emergency Board 246 for disputes between SEPTA and employees represented by the locomotive engineers’ and electrical workers’ unions. The National Mediation Board records that the board submitted its report on July 14, 2014. Its recommendations did not settle the locomotive engineers’ dispute, and EO 13679 created a second board that October. These temporary boards did not impose a permanent labor agreement.

Administration position: The board’s report was advisory and temporary; it did not permanently impose contract terms or take over SEPTA operations.
SignedJune 14, 2014
BoardPresidential Emergency Board 246
ReportJuly 14, 2014
Follow-upEO 13679 established a second board

Before and after

Before the order

Unresolved bargaining created a risk of disruption to Philadelphia-area commuter rail.

After the order

The statutory board and cooling-off period created space for reviewed recommendations and renewed negotiation.

Who had to do what

Agency / officeActionTiming / position
Emergency boardInvestigate and reportCompleted
SEPTA and unionsMaintain status quo during cooling-off periodCompleted
National Mediation BoardAdminister processCompleted

What happened next

EO 13670 established the first SEPTA board.

Board 246 submitted its report.

EO 13679 established a second board for the locomotive engineers’ dispute.