Form 1 NATIONAL RAILROAD ADJUSTMENT BOARD Award No. 8846
SECOND DIVISION Docket No.
8783
2-C8o0-EW-' 82
The Second Division consisted of the regular members and in
addition Referee Paul C. Carter when award was rendered.
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
Parties to Dispute:
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway Company
Dispute: Claim of Employes:
1. That the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway Company violated the current
agreement when it unjustly dismissed Electrician Homer F. Pugh from
service on March
24, 1979·
2.
That accordingly the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway Company be ordered to
restore Electrician Homer F. Pugh to service with seniority unimpaired
and compensate him for all time lost subsequent to and including March
24, 1979,
and all other benefits he would have had if he had remained
in service.
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 waived right of appearance at hearing thereon.
Claimant was employed at Carrier's Raceland, Kentucky, car shop. He was
assigned as an electric crane operator, hours 3:00 P.M. to 11:00 P.M., and had
been in Carrier's service one year and nine months.
On March
28, 1979,
claimant was instructed to attend investigation at 10:00 P.M.,
April
5, 197f3:
"You are charged with insubordination in that you failed to
obey instructions of Departmental Foreman C. C. Thomas and
General Foreman Joe Johnson at approximately 3:00 P.M., on March
21+,
1979,
in which you refused to operate overhead crane as
instructed. Further, failing to leave company property when
you were advised that you were relieved of duty and instructed
to remove yourself from Raceland Car Shop property.
Arrange for representative and/or witnesses, if desired."
The charge was signed by W. B. Chellis, General Plant manager.
Form 1 Award No. 8846
Page 2 Docket No.
8783
2-C&O-EW-'
8
2
The investigation was conducted as scheduled. Claimant was present throughout
the investigation and was represented. A copy of the transcript of the investigatio:,
has been made a part of the record. We have revi(·.wed the transcript and find that
nee of claimant's substantive procedural rights mss violated. The investigation
was conducted in a fair and impartial manner. On August
30, 1979,
claimant was
notified of his dismissal from service.
There was substantial evidence in the investigation to support the charges
against the claimant. The record shows that on March 21+,
1979,
it was necessary
to reassign the employes working in the "Burner Shop" to other areas to meet
shop requirements. About
3:05
P.M. all such employes were instructed to report
to the Erecting Shop. Gang Foreman Chambers so testified in the investigation.
Claimant did not go to the Erecting Shop. Chambers also testified that Departmental
Foreman Thomas told him that he could not locate claimant Pugh.
Departmental Foreman Thomas testified that he had instructed the Burner Shop
to send all of their people to the Erecting Shop; that there was need for a crane
operator and none was available for the east crane at the time; that he was advised
by General Foremen Johnson that claimant Pugh was then in the West crane, but was
not the as-signed operator of the West Crane. Thomas stat,·_d that he went to the
West crane and told claimant to get out of the West crane, which had an operator.
While claimant contends that he could not hear Thomas' in;aruction, Thomas stated
that claimant told him "to get the extra crane operator", and that such statement
was made to him while claimant was in the West crane cab. Thomas testified that
he told claimant Pugh that he wanted him for the East crane; that claimant climbed
down from the West crane and started to the Electric Shop; that he (Thomas) and
General Foreman Johnson started to the Electric Shop, met claimant Pugh and asked
Pugh if he understood what he told him to do, and claimant Pugh replied "I don't
operate that way, get the extra man". General Foreman Johnson then told claimant
Pugh that he was relieved of his duties and for him to remove himself from Company
property; that Claimant Pugh informed Johnson "that he was not going anywhere,
he was gei-g ca
.,eo-
his Committeeman".
General Foreman Johnson's testimony generally verified the testimony of
Departmental Foreman Thomas. Claimant's refusal to leave the property when
instructed by General Foreman Johnson resulted in a call being made for a Special
Agent to assist in his removal. The Special Agftt testified that claimant gave
him no trouble.
While there were conflicts between the testimony of claimant and Supervisory
personnel, it is well settled that this; Board does not weigh evidence, attempt
to resolve conflicts therein, or pass upon the credibility of witnesses.
Whether claimant thought that the instructions o:E the Departmental Foreman
..--re correct or not, he should have complied with them and complained later if he
considerwd that he was being miatreate( or that his Agreement rights were being
wriolated. Tlia actions, however, constituted insubordination. It has previously
teen held that:
"Insubordination does not con:.ist solely in the flat refusal
to perform work." (Third Division Award
22638,
Second Division
Award 7128.)
Form 1
page 3
A W A R D
Claim denied.
Attest: Executive Secretary
National Railroad Adjustment Board
Award No. 8846
Docket No. 8788
2-C&O-EW-'82
NATIONAL RAILROAD ADJUSTMENT BOARD
By Order of Second Division
By
< r2-~'v
emarie Brssch - Administ:rative Assistant
Dated`a~ Chicago, Illinois, this 6th day of January, 1982.