Form 1 NATIONAL RAILROAD ADJUSTMENT BOARD Award No. 11849
SECOND DIVISION Docket No. 11611
90-2-88-2-127
The Second Division consisted of the regular members and in
addition Referee Marty E. Zusman when award was rendered.
(Brotherhood Railway Carmen/Division of TCU
PARTIES TO DISPUTE:
(CSX Transportation, Inc.
(The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company)
STATEMENT OF CLAIM:
1. That the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company violated the controlling Agreement, specifically Rule 28, when on the date of March 16, 1987,
the Carrier ordered carmen from another seniority point to perform the work
previously performed by Claimant. The Claimant has been monetarily and contractually deprived under the provisions of the controlling agreement between
the Brotherhood of Railway Carmen of the United States and Canada and the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company.
2. That accordingly, Carrier be ordered to compensate the Claimant
for all monetary losses suffered as a result of such violation, such losses to
the extent of eight (8) hours pay at the Carmen's straight time rate, on
account of Carrier's violation of Rule 28 of the controlling Agreement, as
amended, on the date of March 16, 1987.
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 employes 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 waived right of appearance at hearing thereon.
In the instant record, Claimant was furloughed and held seniority at
Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. There is no dispute that on March 16, 1987, Cayman Roff, whose seniority was at East Salamanca, New York, (another seniority
point) was ordered to assist a Punxsutawney Cayman at AJ Yard in Clarion
Junction in rerailing a tank car, ACFX 77623. Inasmuch as the furloughed
Claimant was not recalled to assist at Clarion Junction the Organization filed
a Claim in his behalf.
Form 1
Page 2
Award No. 11849
Docket No. 11611
90-2-88-2-127
The Organization argues that the Carrier's assignment of the East
Salamanca Cayman was a violation of Rule 28 of the Agreement. In challenging
the Carrier's action, it argues that the governing Rule reserves the work at
Clarion Junction to the seniority of Punxsutawney Carmen. Accordingly, the
Claimant was deprived of work that was reserved under the Agreement.
The Carrier argues that the amount of work was approximately one (1)
hour, that the assignment of the East Salamanca Cayman did not violate the
Agreement, and that said work was not assigned by Rule to the Punxsutawney
Carmen. As stated in its referenced letter of September 11, 1987:
"Rule 28 of the Agreement specifies that the
DuBois (Point 13) and Clarion Junction (Point
14) rosters were consolidated effective January
31, 1968; that the Bradford, PA (Point 15) and
East Salamanca (Point 16) rosters were consolidated effective February 1, 1967 and that
Punxsutawney (Point 12) stands alone as a
seniority point. Further, Rule 28 specifies
that seniority is confined to the point employed. Therefore, employees at Punxsutawney
hold no rights to work at Clarion Junction and
the use of Cayman Roff did not violate any
Agreement rule."
The Carrier's position in this matter is that it may use employees on duty,
rather than recalling furloughed employees. It argues that it may use
employees from either or both Punxsutawney and East Salamanca. It further
argues that the Claimant is improper in that there are five (5) senior furloughed Carmen.
The Board finds from the record that the Carrier has not violated the
Agreement for the following reasons. First, ex parte arguments are not properly before us. The signed May 11, 1978 Memorandum, including Section 5
effective May 15, 1978, which consolidates seniority Points 12 (Punxsutawney)
and 13 (DuBois), was not referenced or a matter of discussion on the property
as a part of Rule 28. Assuming az'guendo, the May 11, 1978 Memorandum had been
joined on the property and was properly before this Board (which it is not),
it does not grant Punxsutawney Carmen rights to work at Clarion Junction. The
Agreement with Memorandum consolidates DuBois (13) and Clarion Junction (14)
as one seniority point, and Bradford (15) and East Salamanca (16) as another
seniority point, leaving Punxsutawney as a third seniority point (12). The
Memorandum contains no language which provides seniority rights of Punxsutawney Carmen to work at Clarion Junction, only that DuBois Carmen are placed on
the seniority roster for Punxsutawney.
Form 1 Award No. 11849
Page 3 Docket No. 11611
90-2-88-2-127
There is a lack of proof that the governing Rule reserves the work at
Clarion Junction to the seniority of Punxsutawney Carmen. There is no probative evidence and contractual language on point with the instant circumstances. We also note that the Organization does not dispute Carrier's argument
that it "retains the right to utilize employees already on duty" rather than
recalling furloughed employees, that the time spent rerailing was about one
hour, or that the Claimant was improper as he would not have been recalled in
any case. For all these reasons the Claim is denied (Second Division Awards
11325, 11324, 11085, 10938, 10800.
A W A R D
Claim denied.
NATIONAL RAILROAD ADJUSTMENT BOARD
By Order of Second Division
Attest:
Nancy J. r - Executive Secretary
Dated at Chicago, Illinois, this 16th day of May 1990.