(Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen PARTIES TO DISPUTE:


STATEMENT OF CLAIM: Claim of the General Committee of the Brotheihood of
Railroad 'Signalmen on the Central of Georgia Railway Company:

On behalf of Leading Signal Maintainer R. F. Stanfield, Macon, Georgia, for twelve (12) hours overtime on November 24, 1973, account Carrier used Signal Foreman B. F. Jones to take the place of another employee from 7 a.m. until 7 P.m. fcarrier file: SG-20)

OPINION OF BOARD: Rule 1 defines "Signal Foremen" and states that such
individuals may not "...take the place of another employee."

On November 24, 1973 a crossing signal was damaged by a derailment. Carrier utilized a number of men, including Foreman J certain work, and Claimant urges that Jones assisted in the actual work, in violation of Rule 1.

Carrier has pointed out, on the property and to this Board, that prior to the incident in question, this Claimant had notified Carrier that he would not be available for duty during the pertinent time.

We are mindful of the series of Awards cited by Claimant that demonstrate that it is not Carrier's function to differentiate between claimants or assert that one individual may have a better claim than another. But, we do not read those Awards as suggesting that Carrier is foreclosed from showing that a particular individual has no basis for a claim in any event. This record, considered as a whole, shows that the instant Claimant had "marked-off" and was not available to be called to perform work. Thus, the question of whether Jones did or did not perform work is academic in this particular dispute.







That the Carrier and the Employes involved in this dispute are respectively Carrier and Employes within the meaning of the Railway Labor Act, as approved June 21, 1934;

That this Division of the Adjustment Hoard has jurisdiction over the dispute involved herein; and

        That the Agreement was not violated.


                    A W A R D


        Claim denied.


                        NATIONAL RAILROAD ADJUSTMENT HOARD

                        By Order of Third Division


ATTEST:
        Executive Secretary


Dated at Chicago, Illinois, this 31st dray of March 1976.

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