DISPUTE: CLAIM OF EMPLOYES.-Shall the general chairman of each of the six shop craft organizations, namely, Machinists, Boilermakers, Blacksmiths, Sheet Metal Workers, Electrical Workers, and Carmen, who comprise the System Federation No. 69 of the Florida East Coast Railway, be entitled to an annual pass over the system, as per Rule No. 30.
POSITION OF EMPLOYES.-We claim that the general chairman of each craft is entitled to an annual pass under the provisions of Rule 30, of the present agreement, which reads as follows:
The management claims that only the federation chairman is entitled to a pass, under this rule. We contend the language of this rule is very plain, and the words, "General Committees", mean the chairman of each craft in the federation on this system, as is the practice on every other railroad under identical rules.
There is no dispute as to the general chairman of all other organizations on the road getting annual transportation, but the management contends that because the shop crafts act through the federation only the chairman of the federation is entitled to a pass.
We therefore request that the management be directed to furnish an annual pass to the general chairman of each of the six crafts.
POSITION OF CE&RRIER.-There are no rules in any of the Agreements which the railway has with its employes, other than the one quoted in the "Position of Employes" that have any reference to furnishing transportation to general chairmen. The railway has, however, for a number of years, extended the courtesy of annual transportation to the general chairman of the committees which represent the employes before the general officers of the railway. While a number of these organizations have division or local committees, the chairmen of these committees are not furnished with annual transportation.
The Agreement with the shop employes dated October 19, 1935, states that the employes are represented by System Federation No. 69, Railway Employes' Department, A. F. of L., which is composed of the six shop crafts. The committee representing System Federation No. 69 is composed of the general chairman and the presiding officers of the six shop crafts and this committee deals with the general officers of the railway. If the railway were to grant annual transportation to the presiding officer of each craft the effect would be that each member of the general committee would have an annual pass and there would be an immediate demand from the other labor organizations for annual transportation for each member of their committees. It is the position of the railway therefore that it is fully carrying out the provisions of Rule 30 as quoted in "Position of Employes" by granting annual transportation to the general chairman of the committee which deals with general officers of the railway as this is the same privilege as is granted to other labor organizations on the Florida East Coast Railway.
FINDINGS.-The Second Division of the Adjustment Board, upon the whole record and all the evidence, finds that
The carrier or carriers and the employe or employes involved in this dispute are respectively carrier and employe within the meaning of the Railway Labor Act as approved June 21, 1934.
This Division of the Adjustment Board has jurisdiction over the dispute involved herein.
The parties to said dispute waived right of appearance at hearing thereon."General committees representing employes covered by this agreement will be given the same consideration as is granted General Committees representing employes in other branches of the service."
It is contended by the employes, and not denied by the carrier, that general chairmen of other organizations are furnished annual transportation, which supports the position of the employes.