(Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes PARTIES TO DISPUTE: (

STATEMENT OF CLAIM: Claim of the System Committee of the Brotherhood that:

 (1) The Carrier violated the Agreement when it assigned other than Bridge and Building Department employes to perform overtime work on Bridge 03/4 at Clinton, Iowa from September 1 through September 16, 1973, both dates inclusive (System File 81-3-180).

 (2) B&B Carpenter T. Tracy be allowed one hundred twenty-eight (128) hours of pay at his time and one-half rate for September 1 through September 16; B&B Carpenter E. Anderson be allowed one hundred twenty (120) hours of pay at his time and one-half rate for September 1 through September 15; B&B Carpenter W. Suchy b rate for September 8, 9 and 15, 1973 because of the aforesaid violation.

 OPINION OF BOARD: On September 1, 1973, the electric motor on a railway
 bridge at Clinton, Iowa burned out. This motor, normally activated by the bridge operator, raises and lowers the "Connelly Joints" at each end of the swing span and aligns and locks the running rails in place when the bridge is in a closed position.

 After the damage to the motor on September 1, 1973, electricians were assigned to replace the electric motor; however, the replacement motor was not equipped with a brake. This made it necessary, on a temporary basis, to assign an employe on the bridge deck to advise the bridge operator to turn off the electric power to the motor when the Connelly Joints reached the open or closed position and to place a steel bar into the capstan and further to chain the bar to the guard rail to prevent any further movement of the joints. This manual work, required until the final repairs were completed on September 161 1973, gave rise to this dispute. Carrier assigned a Bridge and Building Department employe to perform the work during their regularly assigned hours Monday through Friday and assigned, on overtime, either an electrician or car repairman to the second and third shifts and also to all shifts on Saturdays and Sundays. The parties agree that this is the only time such work has ever been performed on this Carrier's property.

 The sole issue before us is whether the work of te~kporarily securing the Connelly Joints and signaling the bridge operator tc shut off the electric motor, when operating the bridge, was work reserved for B&B employes. Petitioner argues that the maintenance of the bridge, which work is reserved to employes covered by Petitioner's Agreement. Pet position, during the handling on the property, when Carrier attempted to justify


the use of an electrician for the work in question on the ground that electricians' skill was requir indeed performed the required work during the regular work week. An examination of the record of the position. While maintenance of the bridge structure and the Connelly Joints properly is reserved for B&B empioyes; that type of work was not involved herein. The only work at issue was the task of assisting the bridge operator (a telegrapher) in the opening and closing of the bridge by signaling and securing the Joints; such work cannot properly be characterized as building, repairing or reconstructing the bridge, which is customarily reserved to the B&B group. Since operating the bridge is assigned to Telegraphers, and the repair of electric motors is assigned to Electricians, and the maintenance of the Connelly Joints is normally B&B work, it is easy to understand the confusion attendant up apparent that there is no rule support for the Claim; Carrier could have and did assign the work to one of several different crafts for the duration of the emergency and temporary period. There was no exclusive right to this unusual activity.



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 Board has jurisdiction over the dispute involved herein; and



        Claim denied.


                        NATIONAL RAILROAD ADJUSTMENT BOARD

                        By Order of Third Division


ATTEST:
 Executive Secretary

 Dated at Chicago, Illinois, this 31st day of August 1976.