(a) Act. The term “act,” or “1937 act” means the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 (50 Stat. 307; 45 U.S.C. chapter 9). The term “1935 act,” means the Railroad Retirement Act of 1935 (49 Stat. 967; 45 U.S.C. chapter 9).

(b) Employer. The term “employer” means an employer as defined in the act and part 202 of this chapter.

(c) Employee. The term “employee” means an employee as defined in the act and part 203 of this chapter.

(d) Service. The term “service” means service as defined in the act and part 220 of this chapter.

(e) Compensation. The term “compensation” means compensation as defined in the act and part 222 of this chapter.

(f) Board. The term “Board” means the Railroad Retirement Board.

(g) Company. The term “company” means a partnership, association, joint stock company, corporation, or institution.

(h) United States. The term “United States” where used in a geographical sense means the States and the District of Columbia.

(i) Carrier. The term “carrier” means an express company, sleeping-car company, or carrier by railroad, subject to part I of the Interstate Commerce Act (24 Stat. 379; 49 U.S.C. chapter 1).

(j) Person. The term “person” includes an individual, trust, estate, partnership, association, joint stock company, company, corporation, and institution.

(k) General Committee. The term “General Committee” as used in section 1 of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 (50 Stat. 307; 45 U.S.C., Sup., 228a) is construed to include any subordinate unit of a national railway labor organization, defined as an employer in the 1937 act, regardless of the title or designation of such unit, which, under the constitution and bylaws of the organization of which it is a unit, is properly authorized to and does represent that organization on all of a particular railroad or on a substantial portion thereof (such as on that portion of a railroad under the jurisdiction of the general manager) in negotiating with the management of that railroad with respect to the wages and working conditions of the employees represented by such organization.

(l) Local lodges and divisions; local lodge or division. The term “local lodges and divisions” and the term “local lodge or division” as used in section 1(a) and 1(b), respectively, of the 1937 act, shall be construed to include any subordinate unit of a national railway labor organization defined as an “employer” under the 1937 act, which unit functions in the same manner as, or similar to “local lodges” as that term is ordinarily used, irrespective of the designation of such unit by its national organization.