Legal Definitions - minor dispute

A minor dispute is a disagreement about the interpretation or application of a collective-bargaining agreement, as opposed to a disagreement over the formation of a new agreement. This term is commonly used in labor law under the Railway Labor Act.

For example, if a union and an employer have a collective-bargaining agreement that outlines the wages and benefits for employees, and the employer violates one of the terms, the union may file a grievance claiming a minor dispute. The dispute is minor because it does not involve negotiating a new agreement, but rather interpreting and enforcing an existing one.

Another example of a minor dispute could be a disagreement over the interpretation of a specific clause in the agreement, such as the definition of overtime or the process for filing a grievance.

Overall, a minor dispute is a conflict or controversy that arises from the interpretation or application of an existing collective-bargaining agreement, rather than the negotiation of a new one.