---
kind: "section"
citation: "45 U.S.C. § 151a"
title: "45"
title_heading: "Railroads"
number: "151a"
heading: "General purposes"
release: "119-102"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/45/151a"
units:
  - "Chapter 8 — Railway Labor"
  - "Subchapter I — General Provisions"
---

# §151a. General purposes


The purposes of the chapter are: (1) To avoid any interruption to [commerce](/usc/45/151.md) or to the operation of any [carrier](/usc/45/151.md) engaged therein; (2) to forbid any limitation upon freedom of [association](/usc/45/702.md?p=1) among [employees](/usc/45/151.md) or any denial, as a condition of [employment](/usc/45/231b.md?p=a-1) or otherwise, of the right of [employees](/usc/45/151.md) to join a labor organization; (3) to provide for the complete independence of [carriers](/usc/45/151.md) and of [employees](/usc/45/151.md) in the matter of self-organization to carry out the purposes of this chapter; (4) to provide for the prompt and orderly settlement of all disputes concerning rates of pay, rules, or working conditions; (5) to provide for the prompt and orderly settlement of all disputes growing out of grievances or out of the interpretation or application of agreements covering rates of pay, rules, or working conditions.


## Source credit

(May 20, 1926, ch. 347, § 2, 44 Stat. 577; June 21, 1934, ch. 691, § 2, 48 Stat. 1186.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

Section is comprised of the first sentence of section 2 of act May 20, 1926, as added in the general amendment of section 2 by act June 21, 1934. The remainder of section 2 of act May 20, 1926, is classified to section 152 of this title.

### Amendments

1934—Act June 21, 1934, amended section 2 of act May 20, 1926, generally, adding the text of this section.