Form 1 NATIONAL RAILROAD ADJUSTMENT BOARD
SECOND DIVISION
Award No. 13245
Docket No. 13181
98-2-96-2-75

The Second Division consisted of the regular members and in addition Referee Robert Richter when award was rendered.

(J. L. Ayers PARTIES TO DISPUTE:


STATEMENT OF CLAIM:

















FINDINGS:

The Second Division of the Adjustment Board, upon the whole record and all the evidence, finds that:
Form 1 Award No. 13245
Page 2 Docket No. 13181


The carrier or carriers and the employee or employees involved in this dispute are respectively carrier and employee 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.




Carrier has raised a procedural issue in this case. It argues the dispute was not handled in conference on the property. Therefore, this Board lacks jurisdiction.


Section 2, Second and Section 3, First (i) of the Railway Labor Act, as amended, require a conference on the dispute must be held. The record in this case is void of any evidence that such a conference was held. Accordingly, it is not possible to discuss the merits of the case. In accordance with the numerous Awards of all Divisions of this Board, the claim is procedurally defective and must be dismissed.




      Claim dismissed.


                        ORDER


This Board. after consideration of the dispute identified above, hereby orders that an award favorable to the Claimants) not be made.


                      NATIONAL RAILROAD ADJUSTMENT BOARD

                      By Order of Second Division


Dated at Chicago, Illinois, this 30th day of March 1998.