Form 1 NATIONAL RAILROAD ADJUSTMENT BOARD Award No. 7720
 SECOirD DIVISION Docket No. 7567-.fr
 2-MP-MA-'78

( International Association of Machinists
 Parties to Disput e: ( and Aerospace Workers



Disput e: Claim of Fmnloyes:






Fin d in~;s
The Second T)ivision of the Ad~just:~:ent Board, upon the z~rhol.e record and all the evidences findst_,~t:

 The carrier or carriers and ttv.e er:.,pl oya or c,r.rpJ_oyes :i nvol.-'red in t',zi s d3_s,pute are respectively carrier and G:aplaye vTithia the :_A:11rjof the Railway Tabor Act as approved June '21, 1934'.

 This nivi.s;_on of the AdJustment Board has jurisdiction over th:j dis."Yate involved herein.

Notice vas served on the Sheet i'etal Workers who filed a. Sl1b:TliSSiO'1 herein.

 This is a claim based on the ;x:7_1 eged improper assigmrrent of z~.ork reserved to the machinists under their cla ssifica'L i.on of work rule to the sheet,netal workers. The work complained Of is the: xe.place.len~ of water jac.'_>;-_t cover plates on a water-cooled air compressor.

 The caxrier has taY.;en the position that the work is ?-nore nearly described in the sheet^ietal workers' classifjczajon of work rule and that the .practice on the property for the past fifteen (15) years has 'peen to assign the ~ror_2. in question ttae sheet...:~ta1 arorz;ers. The cla'~:na nt has responded 'that _past practice is a_pnlic~':)le in determining a dispute of this nature only when there is a: :bi"u:i.ty in the rule.
 Form 1 Award No. 7720
 Page 2 Docket No. 7567-1'
 2-Y11-MA-' 78




























        connections necessary to make or repair machinery or equipment-,.'!


The particular wording, relied upon by the claimant is set out in
 the following e= :t rarolatiorz f'xo:n the ,_:.zle:

        "Rule 52(a). Machinist work, including regular and helper

        apprentices, shall consist of laying out, fitting, . . . .

        Of i:Wa`cLl_S L1SE.'i;., K)l'._:L__l.tlitl7` _w-.S^(' '.p 'I .a ties. ~ -.,-..,,,aJntaining . . . .

        ZOCO.`'.K)t:1.VGs and E::"_.L1eS 0pi'.:!'C_t.'_!,1 by'_,StC':."1._or other. power.),

        _enf_?':iriC ~tl.-',~Jo-~C'i`,1?ly."^~..'^~,~"l?S .... nip 2i7?i1a::eYi'l., .... arid all


          __.,______. _._._._._.r Other V:UY'iiy g°leia1lV=:_~ _

                      recognized aS machinist?


    The interpretation of any rule requires that the rule be read. i n its

total context. As 1·.e read the rule without the deletions found in the
 claimant's extrapolation, -,.re are unable to find that the work which is
 the pub'-' '- s c3_ai:n is erued to the machinist's
    subject or' n~ ~; . specifically res

under Me 52(x.).

 Rule 97, The :>heetmmcaJ_ Workers Classification of Work !;ule, awards to the sheet.r::eta1. v;o2'.:ers pipefitting and other work dealing with the connecting and disconnecting of air, '~^ridter, a;w.s, oil and teatn pipes. Again, the rwu3.e does not spccifi2ca_lly Pe2ox':rE; t.:e work in question.
 Form 1 Page 3

 Award Ido. 7720
 Docket No. 7567-T
 2-MP-Ma- '78

 In that we have made a finding that the rules in question are ambigmous as to whether or not the work in ciaestion s. s spc:cifv.cal7_y reserved under the classification of work rules, it is appropriate for us to :L.oo't to 'the past practice of the carrier 7.n az~rardi:zt the n~rork iri question. It is uncon'troverted that the work i n question has been assigned to the slmet:retwl workers for the ra:'t fifteen ( 1_5 ) years ~-rItliout a claim being riled by the claimant, orfa:raz.~ation herein. In this case v:e _ ind the Past ~)ract'ice to be controlling. The claa_z::r,Iit has fU-.filed to prove the basic ele;.en't of his c'1.a:iln; to--~;i'i:,: t!~_a't tile wor=-~ in goes tion ds rv"cl~inists v;ork under the agree,vont between t:1e or~;ar~i;.v~.tion and tl:e carrier. Absent tk~a'c finding We a, re 'la.:,c:,C)lE.' t0 C'G`°:7c^ i:0 & CO_iC'1ur7.0?'1 '~;1 i?,~: 'the CU,2·l'.J.. b't'P,CL1Wu -G:_C

 agrEt:iIlE i.1t by YOe:~,7.21`L ~:I rl1n~',' Its C'~.st nri2C't.'i.Ce OT fifteen (15) Years by a,ss9_- nim; the ,V:ork in c,uestion to t1e ,,ncA.metal vrari:ers. We find that
 the agreement -vas not vi-olat--d.

 A td !!. R 1J

 Claim denied.

 Attest: ~~,'xecuvive Secretary
 IIa't5.on.a1 ±;a:ilr.o.^,.d Au.0';;zst:na!-~'t T~oard

 ~IOiY'1T_ ItAII~I5.0.'LI) AD <1US LT `_~-Vii' -1'Oh~T) E3y Order oL Sicond Tivi: icn

 .ltO,t"_1v.mar1e .f,x'asC:i:i - ,::U:'lj.n:i~C;U2'at".1 t`<? ISst aY~t

 Dated at Chicago, Illinois, this :1_st day of I'lovember, l9l8.