NATIONAL RAILROAD ADJUSTMENT BOARD
THIRD DIVISION Docket Number CL-20299
Irwin M. Lieberman, Referee
(Brotherhood of Railway, Airline and Steamship
( Clerks, Freight Handlers, Express and Station
( Employes
PARTIES TO DISPUTE:
(Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad
( Company
STATEMENT OF CLAIM: Claim of the System Committee of the Brotherhood
(GL-7347) that:
1. Carrier violated the Clerks' Rules Agreement at Chicago,
Illinois on April 28, 1972 when it failed to honor an employe's written
request and seniority rights to work a vacation vacancy on Position No.
03830.
2. Carrier shall now be required to compensate employe
P. J. Lasky an additional eight (8) hours at the straight time rate
of pay of Position No. 03830 for the following days:
May 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, 16 and 17, 1972.
OPINION OF BOARD: Claimant was the regularly assigned occupant of a
Train Clerk position with hours of 11 P.M. to
7 A. M. On April 28, 1972 Claimant made written request to General
Car Supervisor Ham= to be placed on a temporary vacation vacancy of
Utility Clerk with hours of 7 A.M. to 3 P.M. commencing on May 1, 1972.
His request was not honored and Carrier used a new employe who had been
hired for vacation relief work to fill the vacancy for the three week
period. During the period encompassed by the claim Claimant was fully
employed and lost no money as a result of not receiving the position
in question. The above facts are not in dispute.
The principle issue in this dispute is whether or not
Claimant's application for the vacation vacancy was timely and whether
or not it was filed with the proper Carrier officer. The relevant
Rules are as follows:
"RULE 9 - BULLETINED POSITIONS
(g) New positions or vacancies of thirty (30) days or
Award Number 20317. Page 2
Docket Number CL-20299
"less duration shall be considered as temporary and may
be filled by an employe without bulletining; if filled,
the senior qualified employe requesting same will be
assigned thereto."
"MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT N0. 71.
1. In the application of Rules 9(f) and (g) regularly
assigned employes in the seniority district making re
quest thereunder will be assigned on the basis of se
niority, fitness and ability on the first day which
follows the second rest day of the position to which
he is regularly assigned, except that in connection
with vacation vacancies of 5, 10, 15 or 20 days dura
tion employes may be assigned to the vacation vacancy
on any work day thereof but will not be permitted to
begin work on the vacation vacancy on either of the
rest days of the position occupied at time of request.
Such request must be made in writing with the officer
having supervision over the position involved at least
twenty-four (24) hours in advance of the time he ex
pects to commence filling the temporary or vacation
vacancy.
When a regularly assigned employe is assigned as provided herein his regular position will be consid
a temporary vacancy."
Carrier contends that Claimant failed to make proper
application for the position since he used an obsolete form addressed to the General Car Supervisor,
May 1st. Further, Carrier states that Claimant, by his own admission, was told on April 28th that he
with Trainmaster Nunley.
Claimant contended, during the handling on the property,
that on April 28, 1972 he filled out the form addressed to the
General Car Supervisor and sent one copy to the Local Chairman,
one copy to the Chief Yard Clerk, and one copy by messenger to
the General Car Supervisor in Bensenville. Claimant then states
that he talked to the Chief Clerk to the Agent who said that he
had talked to Trainmaster Nunley that morning and that Claimant
I
Award Number 20311 Page 3
Docket Number CL-20299
could not have the position because they had a temporary employe for
vacation relief lined up in accordance with the Trainmaster's orders.
Later, at about 11 P.M. on April 28th, Claimant states that he telephoned the General Car Supervisor
niority had bid for the position; he was told that the Trainmaster was
handling the matter, that his bid was on the Trainmaster's desk and
that he should call the Trainmaster on Monday morning May lst. None
of the above information was denied or contradicted by the Carrier.
At a meeting with the Local Chairman on May 4th, the Trainmaster is
reported to have said that he did not have to give the job to Claimant. It should be noted that this
Claimant's seventeen years' seniority - instead of to the new temporary relief employe.
It is clear that Claimant used an old and incorrectly
addressed form to apply for the position - and addressed the request to a supervisor who was not the
required by Memorandum of Agreement No. 71. However, Carrier admitted that the Trainmaster had the r
that all personnel concerned, including the Trainmaster, were aware
of his request on April 28th - - considerably in advance of twentyfour hours prior to the job's star
conclude that Claimant was improperly denied the position he applied
for.
Carrier contends that Claimant sustained no monetary loss
as a result of the dispute, Carrier concludes, therefore that the
Board has no jurisdiction to assess a monetary penalty in this case.
Petitioner argues that the monetary claim is not for a penalty as
such, but rather for damages. There have been many awards dealing
with this issue, upholding sharply conflicting points of view. It
is our conclusion that no useful purpose is served by the Board
finding that the Agreement has been violated and offering no remedy
except reprimand to Carrier; such action might well serve to encourage repeated violations of the Ag
established in 1937 was correct when it stated: "...experience has
shown that if rules are to be effective there must be adequate
penalties for violation." We shall affirm the line of Awards that
hold that violation of the Agreement requires compensation as reparation for such breach (Award 1797
Award Number 20311 Page 4
Docket Number CL-20299
no yardsticks and little information as to the injury to Claimant.
Determinations on this point must be made on a case by case basis.
In this case we believe that the Claim should be sustained as presented.
FINDINGS: The Third Division of the Adjustment Board, upon the
whole record and all the evidence, finds and holds:
That the parties waived oral hearing;
That the Carrier and the Employes involved in this dispute are respectively Carrier and Employes
the Railway Labor Act, as approved June 21, 1934;
That this Division of the Adjustment Board has jurisdiction over the dispute involved herein; an
That the Agreement was violated.
A W A R D
Claim sustained.
NATIONAL RAILROAD ADJUSTMENT BOARD
By Order of Third Division
ATTEST:
9r
4!~ # .~V~
Executive Secretary
Dated at Chicago, Illinois, this 28th day of June
1974.
CARRIER MEMBERS' DISSENT TO AWARD 20311, DOCKET CL-20299
(Referee Lieberman)
In this award the Referee has correctly found that Claimant made absolutely
no showing of actual monetary loss or injury flowing from the violation alleged in
the claim, and there are no recognized "yardsticks" by which any injury to Claimant
can be measured. Inspite of this finding, the Referee has held that Carrier must
pay the substantial amount of money that was arbitrarily demanded by Claimant. Not
only have these parties failed to provide any penalty for the type of violation
alleged in the claim, but they have expressly agreed in Rule 17 (a) of their contract
that an employee will simply be made whole when he is assigned by Carrier to a
position that is lower rated than his own position.
As authority for giving the Claimant this monetary windfall, the Referee cites
Award 17973 of this Board and a statement made by an improperly designated Emergency
Board years before the United Stated Supreme Court's significant decisions defining
the exclusive jurisdiction of the Adjustment Board.
Award 17973, when read in the light of the facts in that case, clearly contains
nothing that supports the allowance of the instant claim. That award is expressly
based on the loss of a specific work opportunity by the seniority group to which the
claimant therein belonged, and no other employee in the group asserted a right to
the work. The claimant therein was the "senior idle" employee in the group. Thus
Award 17973, and the awards cited therein, all come under the loss of work opportunity doctrine; but
the Claimant individually or from his seniority group. All that was involved here
was the alleged mishandling that caused Claimant to fill a position in his seniority group other tha
Both positions were admittedly filled by members of the Claimant's seniority group.
Thus, while it is clear that Award 17973 assessed damages on the basis of a
"yardstick" that is well established in the law of damages, it is equally clear
that there is no such "yardstick" applicable to the instant case, and the Referee,
being an astute lawyer, is keenly aware of this fact.
As construed by the United States Supreme Court, the Railway Labor Act establishes separate a
opposed to creating rules for railway employees. The Adjustment Boards have
exclusive jurisdiction to interpret and apply existing rules, and that is the
limit of their jurisdiction. Emergency Boards are involved in the rule making
process. It is one thing for an Emergency Board to say that each rule should
include an appropriate "penalty" provision and that such provision should be
enforced. It is an entirely different thing to say that referees and labor
members of this Board have the power to fashion their own "penalty" rule when the
parties to the involved agreement have not seen fit to provide for a "penalty" in
their agreement. In the absence of agreement of the parties on a "penalty" rule,
this Board's jurisdiction in assessing damages is limited to those damages which
^an be justified under the accepted rules or yardsticks of the law applicable to
Labor agreements.
j
Carrier Members' Dissent to Award 20311 Page 2
We respectfully submit that the portion of this Award which purports to
sustain Part 2 of the claim is void. We also submit that an enlightened reading
of the entire record, taking into account the hours of the day and days of the
week involved plus the frequent absence of Trainmasters from their offices and
the usual conduct of affairs between railroad employees and supervisorsp clearly
reveals that Carrier's decision was entirely justified and Part 1 of the claim
should have been denied.
~~l.~t:C,c
i
LABOR NEMBER' S ANSWER TO
CARRIER MQ`,BERS' DISSENT TO
AWARD 20311, DOCKET CL-20299 (LIEBERMAN)
Carrier Members' dissent can best be described as base sophistry.
It contains specious reasoning, fallacious argument, and is intended
to deceive. For instance, the dissent's reference to "an improperly
designated Errergency Board" is a diluting characterization of a
legally-created Railway Labor Act Section 10 Emergency Board appointed
by the President of the United States upon appropriate recommendation
of the Chairman of the National Mediation Board. Section 10 of the
Railway Labor Act states in part:
"If a dispute between a carrier and its employees be
not adjusted under the foregoing provisions of this Act and
should, in the judgment of the Mediation Board, threaten
substantially to interrupt interstate commerce to a degree
such as to deprive any section of the country of essential
transportation service, the Mediation Board shall notify
the President, who may thereupon, in his discretion, create
a board to investigate and report respecting such dispute."
(underscoring added)
The literal language of Section 10 contemplates the establishment
of an Emergency Board in ratters arising under any or ell of the nine
preceeding sections of the Act. Obviously, the Mediation Board and the
President and even Congress felt that they were acting properly when
the Devaney Emergency Board was created on February 8, 1937 to investigate a dispute and make a repo
certain operating employes of the Chicago Great Western Railroad because
of the failure of the railroad to comply with Awards 1247, 1248 and
1322 of the First Division of the National Railroad Adjustment Board.
I include "even Congress," although Congress is not mentioned in
Section 10, because following the release of the soundly-reasoned and
articulate report of the Emergency Board (which consisted of The Honorable John P. Devaney, Chief Ju
C. Clephane, Attorney, Washington, D. C.; and Doctor Harry A. Millis,
Professor, University of Chicago), the matter came up on the floor of
the Senate. On March 25, 1937, S. R. 101 was introduced by Senator
Borah of Idaho. The Resolution read as follows:
"Whereas the National Railway Labor Act and amendments
thereto were enacted by Congress and approved by the President
for the express purpose of supplying machinery for the peaceful adjustment of controversies concerni
conditions, or other matters, which might arise between the
railroads and their employes; and
"whereas an essential part of this machinery is the
National Railroad Adjustment Board with headquarters in
Chicago, and made up of an equal number of representatives
of the carriers and of the recognized unions of the employes;
such Board constituting what might be described as a supreme
court for the settlement of all disputes between the railroads and their employes; and
"whereas said Board, after extended hearings and full
consideration of the facts, recently decided that the Chicago
Great Western Railroad had violated its wage agreement with
certain organizations of its employes, and thereupon made awards
to individual employes totaling approximately $50,000; and
"whereas the trustees of the Chicago Great Western have
refused to pay said awards, thus setting a precedent which, if
it is followed by other railroads, ray destroy the machinery
set up by Congress for the peaceful adjustment of railroad labor
disputes; and
"Whereas an emergency commission selected by the President
of the United States, by authority of the Railroad Labor Act,
has failed in its effort to persuade the trustees to recognize
the validity of awards made by the National Railroad Adjustment
Board; and
"Whereas because of the trustee's refusal to pay such
awards the railroad labor organizations involved have polled
their members and have been authorized by a substantially unanimous vote to withdraw all their membe
Chicago Great Western, thus threatening a serious interruption
of interstate commerce: Therefore be it
"Resolved, That the Committee on Interstate Commerce,
or arty duly authorized subcommittee thereof, is authorized and
directed to make and to report to the Senate the results of a
thorough and complete investigation of all facts relating to
the failure of the Great Western Railroad to adjust and settle
the awards of the National Railroad Adjustment Board, and to
make arty recommendations necessary to carry into effect the
awards of said Board; and arty other facts or circumstances
surrounding the failure of the said railroad to abide by the
decision of the Board.
_ 2 _
"For the purposes of this resolution the committee, or
arty duly authorized subcommittee thereof, is authorized to
hold such hearings, to sit and act at such times and places
either in the District of Columbia or elsewhere, during the
sessions, recesses, and adjourned periods of the Senate in
the Seventy-fifth Congress, to employ such experts, and
clerical, stenographic, and other assistants, to require by
subpena or otherwise the attendance of such witnesses and
the production and impounding of such books, papers, and
documents, to administer such oaths, and to take such testimony and to rake such expenditures as it
The cost of stenographic services to report such hearings
shall not be in excess of 25 cents per hundred words. The
expenses of the committee, which shall not exceed $2,500,
shall be paid from the contingent fund of the Senate upon
vouchers approved by the chairman."
Six (6) days later on March 31, 1937, Senators Wheeler of Montana,
Lewis of Illinois and Barkley of Kentucky made the following statements
on the floor of the Senate:
Mr. WHEELER: "Mr. President, on Thursday of last week,
the senior Senator from Idaho (Mr. Borah) presented a resolution directing the Committee on Intersta
inquire into the refusal of the trustees of the Chicago Great
Western Railroad to pay certain awards made by the National
Railroad Adjustment Board in favor of employes who are members
of five of the standard railroad labor organizations--the
Engineers, the Firemen and Enginemen, the Conductors, the
Trainmen, and the Switchmen's Union of North America. The
Resolution cane before the committee, and we are about to take
it up and set it dorm for hearing; but I am glad to be able to
report that since the Senator from Idaho introduced his resolution the trustees of the Chicago Great
agreed to pay the awards in full, thus ending the unfortunate
controversy. I have no doubt that the action of the Senator from
Idaho in calling the matter to the attention of this body had a
most wholesome influence, and contributed materially to the
result achieved. In fact, I am sure it was the only thing that
compelled the trustees to agree to settle on the basis on which
they were justly entitled to settle.
"The amount involved in this case was not great-approximately $50,000-but the principle was of major
"When Congress enacted the amended Railway Labor Act a
few years ago, we endeavored to set up machinery which would
facilitate the speedy adjustment of disputes between the
carriers and their employee. The law recognizes in the most
_3_
definite way the railroad worker's right to join the labor
organization of his choice. It bans company-supported
unions and outlaws the vicious 'yellow-log' contract.
Finally, it sets up what the Senator from Idaho, in his
resolution, very happily described as 'a supreme court for
railroad labor.' We may later wish to destroy all courts,
but the act sets up what is commonly recognized by the
railroad employes as a supreme court for railroad labor.
This is what is known as the National Railroad Adjustment
Board. It consists of 36 members, 18 selected by the
carriers and 18 by the standard railroad labor organizations.
"When a dispute arises concerning the proper interpretation of an agreement entered into between a c
union the law contemplates that the representatives of the
carrier and the union shall endeavor to reach an understanding.
If that proves impossible, then an appeal may be taken to this
supreme court-a tribunal made up of equal numbers of representatives of the carriers and the employe
familiar with every phase of railroad work. Should that tribunal
become deadlocked, a referee may be called in.
"It is difficult to imagine a fairer, a saner, method of
adjusting industrial disputes. That the system has worked is
evidenced by the fact that there has been no serious interruption of interstate traffic since this s
"The National Railroad Adjustment Board has rendered a
great number of decisions. Some were in favor of the unions,
and some were in favor of the carriers. As I understand, the
unions in every case have accepted the verdict of the Board. In
some cases the carriers have not.
"Perhaps the most flagrant example of a carrier's attempt
to flaunt decisions of the National Railroad Adjustment Board
is to be found in this case of the Chicago Great Western. The
awards were rode last June and July. They involved a number of
individual grievances. The employes were so clearly right that
in only one instance did the Board find it necessary to call in
a referee.
"Nevertheless, the trustees refused to pay the awards. I
am informed they even appealed to Federal Judge Charles E. Woodward, the judge responsible for their
Woodward made the grave mistake of advising the trustees that
it was not necessary for them to pay the awards until they were
instructed to do so by a court of competent jurisdiction, notwithstanding the fact that he himself w
-4-
jurisdiction. Of course, that meant a lawsuit, and the unions
very properly, in my judgment, refused to become parties to
long and expensive litigation.
"They held that if the awards of the National Railroad
Adjustment Board were not accepted, and if carriers persisted
in appealing to the courts the elaborate system which Congress
had devised for the adjustment of disputes between carriers
and their employes would be weakened and possibly destroyed.
"So the unions polled their members, and the members
voted to strike if the trustees did not accept the awards made
by the National Railroad Adjustment Board. At that point the
President of the United States appointed an emergency board to
inquire into the facts, and that board, finding the facts substantially as I have stated them, endea
trustees to enter into fresh negotiations with the unions'
representatives.
"These negotiations dragged, and a few days before the
Senator from Idaho introduced his resolution the trustees
suggested they would settle on the basis of 10 cents on the
dollar. Of course, the unions rejected that offer, and now
the trustees have paid 100 cents on the dollar.
"In and judgment they paid it only because of the fact
that they were threatened that an investigation into the whole
matter would be taken up by the committee on Interstate Commerce.
"All through these proceedings the representatives of the
unions exhibited the patience and good judgment which we have
come to associate with the leadership of the standard railroad
labor organizations. Sorely provoked, they might have ordered
the strike which their members had authorized them to call.
Had they done that, we would have had another serious industrial
struggle on our hands, and all because two trustees, appointed
by a Federal court, refused to comply with the letter and spirit
of a law which has won such widespread approbation that even the
National Association of Manufacturers--an organization noted for
its opposition to trade unionism--has suggested that it might
be used as a model for a Federal law to govern all industries.
"I am sure we are all glad the trustees of the Chicago Great
Western have retreated from their untenable position. It is to
be hoped that the management of other railroads will follow their
example.
_5_
i
"We cannot afford to permit the amended Railway Labor
Act, or any of its essential features, to be weakened or
destroyed by shortsighted employers who, in order to gain
a temporary advantage, are willing to invite an industrial
war.
"Of course, we should take exactly the same attitude
toward the unions should they attempt to scuttle this beneficent legislation. There is not much dang
It is to their credit that the standard railroad-labor organizations sponsored the amended Railway l
legislation with which the country is now so pleased. I am
sure they will never do anything to jeopardize the structure
they assisted in erecting.
"I am sure that if other industrial organizations and
other unions would adopt the same methods which have been
adopted by the railroad brotherhoods and the railroads, many
industrial disputes, such as those from which the country is
now suffering, would be avoided, and we would generally be in
a very much happier and better state."
Mr. LEWIS: "Mr. President, permit me to say, in connection
with the remarks of the able Senator from Montana (Mr. 4kH1LER),
that this subject matter arose in a jurisdiction which I have the
honor to represent. When the able Senator from Idaho (Mr. BORAH)
presented his resolution I assumed then to state to the Senate
that I had been informed that the difference between the company,
the trustees, and the men was very slit, and I felt that it
could be composed, but that there was a difference as to the
facts. The Senator from Idaho stated he was quite sure the
resolution would give opportunity of investigation which would
reveal the real facts.
"Since then; while I have been in the Senate, I have been
advised by the trustees and the counsel for the companies that
a composure has been effected, as the Senator from Montana has
just related, and I am pleased to join with him and with the
officers of the company likewise in felicitations that complete
peace and mutual confidence have followed between the company
and its men."
Mr. b~E=: "Mr. President, I wish to say just a word.
An award was made by the board and the company offered 10 cents
on the dollar in settlement of it. The President of the United
States appointed a mediation board, and still the company
refused to settle. It was only her a resolution was introduced in the Senate for an investigation of
I _6_
the Chicago Great Western finally paid the award, which had
been made sorre titre last June.
"I hope that when other disputes of this kind arise
the parties will settle them among themselves, following an
award by the Board, regardless of whether the award is in
favor of the unions or in favor of the companies, and that
it will not be necessary every time, in order to get them to
settle the award, to have a resolution introduced in the
Senate for an investigation of the situation."
Mr. TYDINGS obtained the floor.
Mr. BARKLEY: "hlr, President=
The PRESIDING OFFICER: "Does the Senator from Piaryland
yield to the Senator from Kentucky?"
PT. TYDINGS: "I yield."
P4Ir. BARKLEY: "I cannot let the opportunity pass without
just a word of gratification over the result of this legislation, not only before the Supreme Court
throughout the country. The cause of my gratification is that
it was rv good fortune to introduce in the House of Representatives the bill, like one introduced in
Howell, of Nebraska, and which became known throughout the
country then as the Howell-Barkley bill. The railroads desperately fought the measure in the House a
able to defeat it, but at the end of the session it was suggested by Members of the House and the Se
and their employes get together during the recess of the
Congress and see whether at the next session legislation of
this character might not be enacted without serious opposition.
"As a result of that suggestion the railroads and their
errployes., after many conferences during the recess, came to an
agreement on the principle of the original bill, with very
slight amendments, and the bill was enacted at the next session
of the Congress. It is gratifying to all those who had any
hand in the enactment of the law that it has been one of the
most successful laws for settling labor disputes that has ever
been placed on the statute books of the United States.
"It is to the credit of both the railroads and the
employes that they have in most cases tried in good faith to
observe the spirit of the law. We all know that the standard
railway brotherhoods are among the highest class of organized
employes in the United States, and the success of the law and
_7-
its final justification before the Supreme Court in a
unanimous decision offer hope that in the near future
we may be able to work out legislation which will solve
all other industrial disputes with as much efficacy and
with as much peace and lack of disturbance."
Mr. WHEELER; "Mr. President, I do not think the
Senator from Kentucky was in the Senate when I first
spoke, but he refreshes may memory. After the railroad
brotherhoods and the railroads agreed upon this particular
piece of legislation and both sides came before the
Committee on Interstate Commerce of the Senate, the
attorney for the National Association of Manufacturers
came before the committee and opposed the proposed legislation, notwithstanding the fact that both s
agreed to it. Now we find the National Association of
Manufacturers lauding the law, stating that it is a good
law and that it ought to be worked out in industrial
organizations. I am extremely glad to see that the National
Association of Panufacturers have finally seen the light and
are coming to the conclusion that this is a good law."
For Carrier Members at this late date to characterize the Devaney
Emergency Board as "irrproperly designated" merely because they disagree
with its findings and report is silly, or naive, or both. The
statement of the Devaney Emergency Board that "experience has shown
that if rules are to be effective there must be adequate penalties
for a violation" is no less valid today, 37 years after it was made, than
when it was originally stated. Fallacious argument of the propriety of
the Board's making the statement does not derogate from its soundness.
The instant dissent suggests a limit on the Adjustment Board's jurisdiction; hence, that Referees an
fashion their adequate penalties for violations and, accordingly, that the
Adjustment Board is exceeding its jurisdiction in assessing damages or
penalties if those damages or penalties cannot be justified under accepted
rules or yardsticks of the law applicable to labor agreements. The call
by Carrier Members for an artificial limit on the Board's jurisdiction,
their mystical reference to the "law applicable to labor agreements," and
their accusation that Labor Members and Referees (a majority of the
Division) are without authority to properly adjust grievances are designed to confuse, mislead and,
overturn sound prior decisions of the Board.
Ibre importantly, the manifestation of the philosophy expressed by
the Carrier Members in their dissent would negate the entire Adjustment
Board process. That this philosophy is patently incorrect is easily
demonstrated by merely referring to the three cases that were involved
in the dispute that was before the Devaney Frrergency Board. It is noted
that Awards
1247
and
1248
were decided without a Referee. This means
that these disputes were adjusted by the Board without being deadlocked.
This in turn means that at least one of the Carrier Members serving on
the Board at the tine Awards
1247
and
1248
were considered joined with
the Labor Members in sustaining the claims of the employes and, in this
act, made penalty awards totaling
$50,000
for the violation of the labor
agreements under consideration.
It is stupid to now argue that when a Referee joins with Labor
Members to create a majority the Board's award granting a penalty for an
Agreeeent violation exceeds the Board's authority when the record is
clear that on occasion Carrier Members have done this very thing and
created a majority and sustained claims and awarded payments of substantial penalties.
Carrier Member dissenters cryptically suggest other limits on the
authority of the Adjustment Board. About
35
years ago, the Attorney General
of the United States had cause to investigate the National Railroad Adjustment Board. In his report,
wrote:
"Functions. The Board's single purpose is to resolve
disputes between employees aril carriers growing out of
grievances or out of the interpretation and application of
labor agreements."
Note the language "out of grievances or out of interpretation and
application of labor agreements." It is obvious that this Board is not
limited to handling disputes concerning interpretation and application of
agreements but also has jurisdiction to resolve disputes growing out of
grievances that concern more than the application of an Agreement. This
point is buttressed by the statements of the Attorney General making a
distinction between the Board's functions of "adjustment" and "adjudication." He wrote that the Boar
Adjustment Board. In the process of adjustment, the Board has wide
latitude in fashioning remedies-even to the ordering of the payment of
penalties when the Agreement is silent on the issue.
The Adjustment Board's authority to award penalties has been adequately
reviewed in a number of awards; to name but two, see Awards
15689
(Dorsey)
and
19899
(Sickles). That the matter has been in and out of the courts
like a fiddler's elbow does not prove that we do not have authority in the
area, only that the Board's Carrier Members resent this authority, as in
the end the courts have upheld our authority to adjust disputes even when
this adjustment provides for the payment of g
Fl
or Member
- 9 - -74