·~,~_ Award No. 5175
Docket No. 4940
2-B&O-CM-'67





The Second Division consisted of the regular members and in

addition Referee Ben Harwood when the award was rendered.


PARTIES TO DISPUTE












EMPLOYES' STATEMENT OF FACTS: On August 3, 1964, a notice -vas posted by Superintendent of Slops W. A. Barrick at the DuBois Car ,Shop, DuBois, Pennsylvania, notifying all concerned that:



Copy of this notice is attached and entered as Exhibit A.

On August 11, 1964, a claim was filed by Local Chairman on behalf of 25 Carmen and Carmen helpers. Inadvertently the claimants were not included in the initial claim, therefore, on September 22, 1964, claim was initiated for these claimants, and copy thereof is attached as Exhibit B. The claimants held second shift assignments when they were instructed by Carrier to report to the first shift.

"At conference on October 5 we discussed the application of Rule 10, including the interpretation thereof to the restoration of forces which have been previously furloughed.



When force is increased after it has been reduced, employes are not obliged to change shift but do so only if they desire to do so. Therefore any change of shift is a change at the request of the ,employe involved and Rule 10 does not apply in such circumstances."


Again, the letter of November 24, 1948 represented the conclusions reached in the conference of October 5. Again there is no additional correspondence on the subject. There were no further conferences.



The parties have consistently followed these interpretations to Rule 10(a) since at least 1947 and 1948.


In the instant case, if what occurred be construed as a "reduction in force," then plainly the claimants are not entitled to overtime fox the first shift of the change because they did not lose a day's pay.


On the other hand, if what occurred be construed as a restoration of forces, then similarly the claimants are not entitled to overtime for the first shift of the change because, as the parties have agreed since 1948, "When force is increased after it has been reduced, employes are not obliged to change shift but do so only if they desire to do so. Therefore, any change of shift that occurs in connection with the restoration of forces is a change at the request of the employe involved and Rule 10 does not apply in such circumstances."


Plainly, by following the language of Rule 10(a) and, just as importantly, the interpretations the parties themselves have placed on the rule, the claimants in this case did not qualify for the overtime payment. The claims here are not valid and ought to be denied. The Carrier respectfully requests that this Board so rule and these claims be denied in their entirety.






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.


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This Division of the Adjustment Board has jurisdiction over the dispute involved herein.


Along with Docket 4941, this case was presented by representatives of both parties involved as a companion case to Docket 4939, now Award 6174. Accordingly, the decision should be the same.








Dated at Chicago, Illinois, this 26th day of May 1967.

Keenan Printing Co., Chicago, Ill. Printed in U.S.A.
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