Form
1 NATIONAL RAILRDA-D ADJUSTMEi?T BOARD
Award No. 6991
SFCOPT :DIVISION Docket No.
6819-T
2-C&NW-NA-'
76
The Second Division consist°e. of the regular members and in
addition Referee Inrin M. Lieberman when award was rendered.
Parties to Dispute:
Dispute: Claim of
International Association of Machinists
and Aerospace 1,1orkers
Chicago and North Western Transportation
Company
(a) The Chicago and North Western Transportation Company violated
Rules'
#6-29-53-52
when they arbitrarily assigned Machinist work
to Electricians ,,rhen they established a new traction motor shop at
Oelwein, Iowa Shops on August 24,
1973.
(b) The Union requests the company to assign this work in accordance
with the Machinist Spe-pial Rules #62 to pay Dale
Erickson,
Machinist,
and all others cited herein, L. Lofty, J. Crawford, T. Roberts and
D. Ohl,
8
hours at the pro rata time and one-half race of ray until
the carrier corrects this instan+ violation as this is a. continuing
claim..
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,
193!+.
This Division of the Adjustment Board has jurisdiction over the dispute
involved herein.
Parties to said dispute were given due notice of hearing thereon.
This dispute involves precisely the same parties agreements and issues
which were considered in Award 6990 ~21<:t~ to the 0aqwein; Iowa
facility of Carrier. The only distinction to be made is that inthe instant
case Petitioner is claiming the work of "checking, measuring and fitting the
support bearing caps", rather than the work of removal arid replacement of
armature ball bearings, on traction motors. Since the circumstances in this
dispute are identical with those in Award 6990 this C,VIhjl must also he OGaliei,
A W A R D
Claim denied.
Form 1 NATIONAL RAILROAD ADJUSTMENT BOARD Award No. 6990
SECOND DIVISION Docket No. 681.5-T
2-C&NGJ-NIA-'
76
The Second Division consisted of the regular members and in
addition Referee Irvin M. Lieberman when award was rendered.
( International Association of Machinists
( and Aerospace Workers
Parties to Dispute:
Chicago and North Western Transportation
( Company
Dispute: Claim of Employes:
(a,) The Chicago and North Western Transportation Co. violated Dales'
#6-29-53-61-62 when they arbitrarily assigned Machinist work to
Electricians when they established a new traction motor shop at
Oelwein, Iowa Shops on October 3, 1973.
(b) The Union requests the Company to assign this work in accordance
with the Machinists Special Rule #62; to pay Machinists F. Sigglehov
and B. Shannon eight
(8)
hours each at the pro rata time and one--
.half rate of pay, and all others cited in Exhibits
18, 19,
20 and
i >
21, accordingly, until the Carrier corrects this instant violation,
as this is continuing claim.
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 empl6yes 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.
Parties to said dispute were given due notice of hearing thereon.
This dispute involves a jurisdictional question and the International
Brotherhood of Electrical Workers is a.
party
in interest which has elected to
file a submission.
Petitioner claims the work of removal and replacement of armature ball
bearings on traction motors at Carrier's Oelwein, Iowa repair facility,
which work Carrier assigned to Electricians represented by the I. B..E.W. The
factual history of this type of work is relevant. Prior to May 1956traction
motors were rebuilt and overhauled at Carrier's M-1 Shop in Chicago. After
may 31, 1956, Carrier elected to discontinue the rebuilding, overhauling or
Form 1 Award. No. 6990
Page
2
Docket No.
6815-T
2-C&NW-14A-' 76
repairing of electrical equipment at the M-1 Shop and purchased replacement
equipment from outside sources. Subsequently Carrier acquired six other
railroad companies. In
1972
Carrier decided to establish a traction motor
shop to rebuild, repair and overhaul diesel locomotive traction motors at
Oelwein, Iowa. Prior to the opening of the new facility Carrier met jointly
with the General Chairmen representing Petitioner and the I.B.E.W. to inform
them of Carrier's plans and to make sure that there would be no :dispute over
the assignment of work at the new facility. That meeting took place on
approximately April 2,
1973
and resulted in an understanding, but no written
agreement, that the division of work at Oelwein would be on the same basis that
the work had been accomplished prior to May
31, 1956
at Carrier's M-1 Shop
in Chicago. There is substantial agreement with respect to the facts outlire d
above. It is noted that in :ward
3184
which dealt with the closing of the
M-1 Shop we held that electricians in the M-1 Shop prior to its closing were
engaged in repairing, rebuilding and overhauling electrical equipment,
particularly diesel electric: locomotive components. The work force involved
at Oelwein at the time of the instant dispute were basically six electricians
and one machinist.
Petitioner bases its position on the following arguments: 1. Machinists'
Classification of ;,fork Bale is controlling and the division of wo.-,.,-. at
Oelwel.n
i3
incompatible wit- iii; 2. The division of work -at Oelwefn is not -on
the same basis as when the work was performed at the M-1 Shop in Chicago;
3.
Under the Miami Agreement of February
13, 1958
certain aspects of the
work now being
r:*rfOd
by Electricians should be performed by Machinists.
Rule
62,
the Classification of Work Rule for Machinists provides as follows:
"MACHINISTS' WORK. 62. Machinists' work shall consist of laying
out, fitting, adjusting, shaping, boring, slotting, milling
and grinding of metals used in building, assembling,
maintaining, dismantling, and installing locomotives and
engines (operated by steam or other power), pumps, cranes,
hoists, elevators, pneumatic and hydraulic tools and machinery,
scale building, shafting and other shop machinery, ratchet and
other skilled drilling and reaming; tool and die making,
tool grinding and machine grinding, axle truing, axle,
wheel and tire turning and boring; engine inspecting; air
equipment, lubricator and injector work; removing, replacing,
grinding, bolting, and breaking of all joints on super-heaters,
oxy-acetylene, thermit, and electric welding on work generally
recognized as machinists' work; the operation of all machines
used in such work, including drill presses and bolt threaders
using a facing, boring or turning head or milling apparatus,
and all other work generally recognized as machinists' work."
As support for its contentions with respect to the division of- the
work at the M-1 Shop prior to
1956,
Petitioner presented, on the property
three completed questionnaires by three unidentified machinists who purported
to have knowledge of the work done. prior to
1956.
Form 1
Page
3
Award No. 6990
Docket No.
6815-T
2-C&NW-MA-'
76
Both Carrier and the IBDI deny Petitioner's alleged facts with respect
to the manner in which the work in question was accomplished at tile M-1
shop, and 1'lzrther cast doubt as to the E^zo,4ledgesbility of the raehinists
who furnished answers to the questionnaire. Carrier, in its arguments relies
in part on two letters written by former employees, both dated in December
1974
after the handling on the property had been completed. Petitioner
properly objected to the two documents as being untimely; they will. not be
considered. The I.B.E.W. in addition to claiming that the work at celwein
was divided. precisely in the same manner as had been done at the M-1 Shop,
relies on its Work Classification Rule 115, which provides;
"ELECTRICIANS' WOK,'. 115. Electricians' work shall consist of
repairing, rebuilding, installing, inspecting and maintaining
the electric wiring of generators, switchboards, motors and
control, rheostats and control, static and rotary transformers,
motor generators, electric headlights and headlight generators,
electric welding machines, storage batteries, and axle-lighting
equipment; winding armatures, fields, magnet coils, rotors,
transformers, and starting compensators. Inside wiring in shops
and on steam and electric locomotives, passenger train and motor
cars; include cable splicers, Tviremen, armature winders, electric
crane operators, for cranes of forty-ton capacity or over, and
all other work properly recognized as electricians' work."
Carrier contends that the past practice on the property does not support
tha Machinists' position since the work in question is work on an electrical
motor which has always been done by Electricians. Carrier states that it has
never been the practice on this property for Electricians to stand aside
while Machinists disassemble an electric motor in order that Electricians
can then work on the wiring. With respect to the Miami Agreement, Carrier
points out that it was not a party to such agreement and further there is
considerable doubt that the Agreement was ever recognized by any crafts
other than the Machinists and Carmen.
A number of contradictions exist in this dispute. All parties agree
that a meeting to discuss the assignment of work involved herein was held
in April of
1973,
yet Petitioner denies (contrary to the I.B.E.W. and the
Carrier) that any understanding was reached. Carrier, while denying
Petitioner's argument with respect to the manner in which the work had been
done in the M-1 Shop, has presented very little in the way of evidence to
support its position. Neither the language in Rule
62
nor the language in
Rule 115 unequivocally covers the work in question, although Rule 115 comes
closest in our opinion. We are not persuaded by the questionnaires submitted
by Petitioner that past practice supports its position, since they we're
supplied by three machinists about whom we have no information; they may or
may not have had any direct information concerning the operations in the M-1
Shops.
Form 1
Page 4
Award No. 6990
Docket No.
6815-T
2-C&Mq-MA-
' 76
We must conclude that the work assignments herein are consistent with,
even if not mandated, by Rule 115. Petitioner has not met its burden of
establishing proof of past practice which could lead to a contrary conclusion.
As we have said. on many occasions in the past (see Award
6579
for example)
we cannot resolve issues of fact which are unsupported except by conflicting
statements. Under all the circumstances herein, the claim must be denied.
A W A R D
Claim denied.
Attest: Executive Secretary
National Railroad Adjustment Board
NATIONAL RAILROAD ADJUS =JT BOARD
By Order of Second Division
..
By_
R~semarie Brasch - Administrative Assistant
Dated at Chicago, Illinois, this 23rd day of January, 1976.
,
CARRIER MEMBERS ANSWER TO LABOR MBER'S DISSENT
TO SECOND DIVISION AWARDS
6990 & 6991
The proper function of a dissent is to deal with facts of record not
certainly to use it as a vehicle with which to cloak disappointment, no
matter how ill-conceived, or for the venting of vilification upon a referee
.simply because the referee was not persuaded by the arguments of the dissenter.
The dissent, with such as we are here faced being replete with out of context
remarks; arguments not supported by the facts of record in these two cases;
assumptions and conjecture; coupled with a personal attack upon the referee
involved, lends absolutely nothing to the orderly resolution of disputes
which come before this Board. In fact such negative comments as are contained
in the instant dissent detract from the professional standards which in the
main this Board has adhered to for many years.
i
Now let us look at the facts upon which the awards are based. The awards
in these two cases were based on sound reasoning as the record reveals:
(a) The division of work as between Machinists and Electricians at
Oelwein Shops was agreed upon by all parties concerned prior to the instant
claims being initiated by the Machinists.
(b) The division of work referred to above was based on the prior
practice which existed at M-1 Shop in Chicago before the work was discontinued
at that point in
1956.
Electricians did it then and properly are doing it now.
(c) The classification of work rule of the Electricians supported
Carrier's action not the Machinist's Classification of work rule. This is
evident from a reading of the two contracts.
AECEIVEti`'
LABOR MEP;'BER' S DISSENT TO AYIARD N0. 6990
r_
M.
YUUNP"DOCKET N0. 6815-T AND AWARD N0. 6991
DOCKET N0. 819-T
The Referee in Award No. 6990, Docket No. 6815-T, has completely
departed from reason in this adjudication which is so frought with errors
as to mace it a complete nullity.
The majority's twisted logic, incorrect stating of the facts of
record, personal assumptions, etc., commence wherein is stated in pertinent
part:
"Petitioner bases its position on the following arguments
xxxx
3. Under the Miami Agreement of February 13, 1958 certain
aspects of the work now being performed by Electricians
,.- should be performed by
t:achinists."
a
the facts of record distinctly show that it was the Carrier and
not the Petitioner who entered this agreement into the record. This fact
was pointed out to the neutral so by what stretch of the imagination does
it now become the Petitioners' position base.
For whatever reason the neutral then chooses to apparently quote the
Carrier as holding regarding the Miami Agreement that:
"Further there is considerable doubt that the Agreement was ever recognized by any crafts other than the
Machinists and Carmen."
If this position influenced the neutral (if not so then why quoted),
then it is amazing since the international officers of each craft had
signed this Agreement with it having been pointed out to the neutral that
the first signature was that of the IBE13. Does this neutral subscribe to
such an idiotic stance that a party can execute an agreement and then not
"recognize" it?
Once this Agreement was entered into the record, then of course, the
Petitioner responded to it as support against the Third Party in evidence
that they recognized the work in dispute as properly covered by the
Machinist Classification of lVork Rule.
The next astonishing and preposterous statement occurs in the award
dictum in pertinent part:
"As support for its contentions with respect to the
division of the work at the tot-1 Shop prior to 1956,
Petitioner presented, on the property three completed
questionnaires by three unidentified machinists who
purported to have knowledge of the work done prior
to 1956."
"49e are not persuaded by the questionnaires submitted
by Petitioner that past practice supports its position,
since they were supplied by three machinists about whom
we have no information; they may or may not have had any
direct information concerning the operations in the 1,t-1
Shops."
These statements were signed by the three machinists and verified by
seniority rosters that they worked in and held seniority at this
t-fi-1
Shop.
_ (DISSENT TO Ai'IARDS N0. 6990 AND 6991)
The Carrier, who had work records, seniority rosters, etc., to check
with in determining the authenticity of these statements, had this to
state in their regard:
"Admittedly these replies would appear to support
the claims."
Only the Third Party, without records backing knowledge, etc.,
made an offhand unsupported allegation challenging these statements.
So again apparently this neutral, who is mandated to be a dealer in facts,
accepts unverified "hot air". Apparently this neutral rtas so predetermined
to a denial award that he would have tried to negate any statements supporting
the position of the Petitioner even had they been verified by fingerprints and
attested to by the Lord.
Other astonishing statements follow:
"Both Carrier and the IBE1"I deny Petitioner's alleged
facts with respect to the manner in which the work
in question was accomplished at the M-1 Shop, and
further cast doubt as to the knowledgeability of the
machinists who furnished answers to the questionnaires."
"We must conclude that the work assignments herein
are consistent with, even if not mandated, by Rule
115."
Further, to this issue of previous work assignments, the Petitioner
was the only party advancing proof through previous work assignments
and bulletins. These documents were never refuted by the Carrier and
yet not only ignored by the neutral but actually rejected by the above
deliberately twisted dictum.
-3- (DISSENT TO AWARDS N0. 6990 AND 6991)
After quoting the Rules, f.1achinists' Work-62, and Electricians
Work-115, it is stated:
"Neither the language in Rule 62 nor the language in
Rule 115 unequivocally covers the work in question,
although Rule 115 comes closest in our opinion."
The neutral is consistent with his departure from a professional
arbitrator's role of not only being a "dealer in" but a "finder of" facts.
After using such positive language as "unequivocally" he then backslides-_
to assumptions and fancies about "closest" as if this were a game of
horseshoes which is the only instance where "close" counts. If he had
adopted his proper posture then the fact that even the Third Party IBEW
executed a written agreement acknowledging this work as properly being
covered by Rule 62 tvould have led to his rendering a sustaining a:-rard.
Furthermore, even a cursory review of Rule 115 that it pertains in
pertinent part to, "xx electric wiring of xxx motors xxx".
Even being aware that the instant case involved work on ball bearings,
the neutral departs from sanity and reason, as the underscoring above
portrays, in his personal assumptions related to interpreting these rules.
It had also been pointed out that throughout the industry, as =well as
between the Organizations, bearing work of all types eras recognized as
Machinist work.
The culmination of this hodgepodge of twisted logic, distorted facts,
and personal assumptions eras:
(DISSENT TO Ai`JARDS N0. 6990 pslD 6991)
"Petitioner has not met its burden of establishing
proof of past practice which could lead to a contrary
conclusion. As we have said on many occasions in the
past (see Award 6579 for example) we cannot resolve
issues of fact which are unsupported except by conflicting statements. Under all the circumstances
herein, the claim must be denied."
This record portrays that throughout the handling of this case on the
property the Third Party IBEN declined to meet, answer correspondence,
etc., and in general "laid in the weeds" even through the Board's procedures of exchanging submissions although they were recipient of a proper
Three First J notice upon the case being docketed. Then they changed
posture by submitting a rebuttal as:
"Dear Mr. Paulos:
Now that we have seen the submissions of the
parties, we are an interested party in the
dispute and submit the following" xxx
s
While recognizing the rights of a Third Party, this was nevertheless;
sharp and the allegations advanced could only be responded to in panel
discussions as was pointed out to the neutral. Their unsupported
allegations were thereby refuted but for reasons of his own the neutral
seemingly subscribed to everything advanced by the Third Party. This is
not an assumption but a regrettable fact partly evidenced even by the
neutral wherein is stated:
"Carrier, while denying Petitioner's argument with
respect to the manner in which the work had been
done in the M-1 Shop, has presented very little in
the way of evidence to support its position."
-5- (DISSENT TO AWARDS N0. 6990 AND 6991)
Although understated, it had been repeatedly pointed out to the
~h
neutral that the Carrier had actually presented nothing factual to
support its position. This seemingly undue and untoward Third Party
influence certainly does nothing to illuminate demanded arbitrator
attributes of impartiality and independence. -
A "Code of Ethics for Arbitrators" was printed in the American
Arbitration Journal, published by the American Arbitration Association,
Inc., and sets forth the views of the Association on the impartiality,
independence, personal and public responsibilities of Arbitrators, the
po:,jers which they exercise, the requirements of the office, and elements
of the ethical code which they should observe. It is stated therein in
pertinent part:
' "# * The element of independence is satisfied
when he arrives at his decision by his own free
will. He should sedulously refrain from any
conduct which might justify even the inference
that either party is the special recipient of
his solicitude or favor. The oath of the
arbitrators is the rule and guide of their
conduct."
In Award No. 6991 this neutral holds that:
"Since the circumstances in this dispute are
identical with those in Award No. 6990 this
claim must also be denied."
-6- (DISSENT TO AWARDS N0. 6990 AND 6991)
Although acknowledging that a different work item was in dispute,
this further exemplifies the inexplicable attitude of comparing "apples
and oranges"
which in
any case doesn't come out of his "v:-itches bre:·mot"
as "wiring".
We believe the referee, for reasons of his own, was grasping vainly
for an excuse to deny these cases irrespective of common sense, knowledge
of the railroad industry, and to say the very leasf-h-as tempted to cause
irrepara a e to Machinist Rule 62. Certainly common sense would
show that roller bearing and support bearing cap work has nothing whatever
to do with wiring. The evidence of record proves !.hat a travesty of justice
has been committed by the majority in not sustaining the organization's
claim. The referee has accomplished nothing other hers than to add
further chaos to the industry.
The findings and conclusions of the majority are palpably erroneous,
and to Which we vigorously dissent.
i
G. R. DeHague
Labor Member -
-7- (DISSENT TO AWARDS N0. 6990 AND 691)
V`w
6%-'-
C E I V E U
CARRIER
MEMBERS ANSWER TO LABOR MEMBER' DISSENT
MAR 15 1976
, To SECOND DIVISION AWARDS
699o & 6991
G. M. YOUHI,,'
The proper function of a dissent is to deal with facts of record not
certainly to use it as a vehicle with which to cloak disappointment, no
matter how ill-conceived, or for the venting of vilification upon a referee
simply because the referee was not.persuaded by the arguments of the dissenter.
The dissent, with such as we are,here faced being replete with out of context
remarks; arguments not supported by the facts of record in these two cases;
assumptions and conjecture; coupled with a personal attack upon the referee
involved, lends absolutely nothing to the orderly resolution of disputes
which come before this Board. In fact such negative comments
as
are contained
in the instant dissent detract from the professional standards which in the
main this Board has adhered to for many years.
Now let us look at the facts upon which the awards are based. The awards
in these two cases were based on sound reasoning as the record reveals:
(a) The
division of
work as between Machinists and Electricians at
Oelwein Shops was agreed upon by all parties concerned prior to the instant
claims being initiated by the Machinists.
(b) The division of work referred to above was based on the prior
practice which existed at M-1 Shop in Chicago before the work was discontinued
at that point in
1956.
Electricians did it then and properly are doing it now.
(c) The classification of work rule of the Electricians supported
Carrier's action not the Machinist's Classification of work rule. This is
evident from a reading of the two contracts.
4 t'
(d) The burden of proof to show a rule violation which was upon the
Machinists'was not sustained by them by presentation of any competent evidence.
(e) The statements of former Carrier Supervisors who had knowledge of
the division of work at old M-1 Shop in Chicago prior to its closing conclusively indicated that the work in case belongs to Electricians not Machinists.
(f) The reliance upon the so-called Miami Agreement by the Machinists
as evidenced by their remarks in their rebuttal statement was ill-taken since
that Agreement was never consummated with the Carrier.
This writer could set down other weaknesses in the Machinist' union
position but it would serve no useful purpose here as that union simply failed
to prove that it had a valid claim to the work in case.
The awards in case are sound, being based on fact and well accepted
principles in this industry. This writer will not dignify by written refutation,
any implication that the Referee indulged in any degree in unethical practice
since the facts of record relied upon by the Referee in arriving at his
decisions "speak" otherwise.
The referee should be commended for his able handling of a difficult
problem. _
t
W. B. Jon
G M. Y uhn
z Z~°
-e4J
P. C. Carter
t .
G. L. Naylor
Form 1 NATIONAL RAILROAD ADJUSTIJ F`l7 B0.4RD Award No. 6991
SFCOPM DIVISION Docket No.
60819-T
2-C&Nw-MA- ' 76
The Second Division consisted of the regular members and in
addition Referee IneIn M. Lieberman when award was rendered.
( International Association of Machinists
( and Aerospace Workers
Parties to Dispute:
( Chicago and North Western Transportation
( Company
Dispute: Claim of Employes:
(a) The Chicago and North Western Transportation Company violated
Rules
#16-29-53-62
when they arbitrarily assigned Machinist work
to Electricians when they established a new traction motor shop at
Oelwein, Iowa Shops on August 24,
1973.
(b) The Union requests the company to assign this work in accordance
with the Machinist Special Rules
,#62
to pay Dale Erickson, Machinist,
and all others cited herein, L. Lofty, J. Crawford, T. Roberts and
D. Ohl,
8
hours at the pro rata time and one-half rate of ray until
the carrier corrects this instant violation as this is a. can;;inaino
( _ claim.
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,
193!+.
This Division of the Adjustment Board has jurisdiction over the dispute
involved herein.
Parties to said dispute were given due notice of hearing thereon.
This dispute involves precisely the same parties agreements and issues
which were considered in Award 6990 relating to the valweinT IVaa .
facility of Carrier. The only distinction to be made is that in.the instant
case Petitioner is claiming the work of "checking, measuring and fitting the
support bearing caps", rather than the work of removal and replacerient of
armature ball bearings, on traction motors. Since tl=a circumstances in this
dispute are identical with those in Award 5990 this 0:.ILW must alsa
1C.0 dc:~F1ie.l-
A W A R D
Claim denied.
Form 1
Page 2
Attest: Executive Secretary
National Railroad Adjustment Board
Award No. 6991
Docket- No.
6819
'C
2-CaNw-MA-
' 76
NATIONAL RAILROAD ADJUSTIYIENT BOARD
By Order of Second Division
v
By_
Ro5e(arie Brasch - Administrative Assistant
Dated at Chicago, Illinois, this 23rd day of January, 1976.