NATIONAL RAIMOAD AWMDENT BOARD
THIRD DIVISION Docket Humber
CL-23176
Rodney E. Dennis.. Referee
. (Brotherhood of Failway.9 Airline and Steamship Clerks,
Freight Handlersp Express and Station Employes
PARTIES To DISPUTE:
(The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway Company
SMkTMMNT C&' MA3141: Claim of the System Oonmittee of the Brotherhood
(GL-8903)
that:
(a) The Carrier violated the Clerks' Agreement as well as
the principles of imw and justice when certain information developed during
interrogation of Mr. J. W. Skews., without advising him of his constitutional
rights., was used to dismiss Mr. Skaggs from service.
(b) Mr. T.W. Skaggs be restored to service with all rights
unimpaired.
OPINION CF HOARD: Claimant J. W. Skaggs was regularly assigned as a
storekeeper at Presque Isle, Walbridgep Ohio. He was
dismissed from carrier's service after an investigation during which he
admitted that he had purchased an sir conditioner for use by his relatives
and had charged it to carrier.
Claimant was notified that a hearing into the matterp as is
required by agreement., would be held. It ryas conducted on October
3j, 1977.
As a result of that hearing, carrier dismissed claimant from its service.
A review of the record reveals that claimant was afforded a full
and fair hearing and was not denied any procedural or substantive rights.
Prior to the hearing and at the hearing itself., claimant admitted
that he had purchased an air conditioner for use by his wife's family and
had charged it to carrier. The organization has argued throughout the
handling of this case on the property and in its submission to this Board
that claimant was under a great deal of stress. He was having trouble at
home and he was being pressured by carrier officials to purchase goods for
their personal use and charge these items to carrier. This behavior by
carrier officialso the organization submits,, led claimant to believe he
too could get away with charging goods for personal use to carrier.
Award Number 23204 page 2
Docket Number Q.-231T6
This Board has little sympathy for any
of
carrier's employer
who engage -in stealing. The organization's arguments in this case cannot
be seriously considered. Claimant has admitted that he illegally purchased
an air conditionerp charging it to carrier. Carrier has a right to impose
any level of discipline sip. to and. including dismissal far such an offense.
This Board has no basis on which to question carrier's action in this
case.
FINDIBGS: The Third Division of the Adjustment Boardj, upon the whole
record and all the evidencep finds and holds:
That the parties waived oral hearing;
That the Carrier and the Employer involved in this dispute are
respectively Carrier and Employer within the meaning of the Railway Labor
Arty as approved June 21., 1934;
That this Division of the Adjustment Board has jurisdiction
over the dispute involved herein; and
That the Agreement was not violated.
A W A R D
Clsfm denied.
NATIONAL RAILROAD ADITUSTMENT HOARD
By Order of Third Division
ATTEST:
&449ce,:~
Executive Secretary
Dated at Chicago,, Illinois., this 16th day of March 1981.
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