NATIONAL RAILROAD ADJUSTMENT BOARD
THIRD DIVISION Docket Number SG-22966
James F. Scearce, Referee
(Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen
PARTIES TO DISPUTE:
(Illinois Central Gulf Railroad Company
STATEMENT OF CLAIM: "Claim of the General Committee of the Brotherhood of
Railroad Signalmen on the Illinois Central Gulf Railroad:
On behalf of named employees and other employees who were adversely
affected when the Company arbitrarily abolished eight signal gangs on may
6,
1978,
with the gangs to be restored to their original status, and with all
employees adversely affected, directly or remotely, being made whole. (There
must be a search of company records to fully determine all employees involved
and to what extent they were adversely affected.)" (Carrier file:
135-641
Spl. Case No.
331
Sig.)
_OPINI_ON OF BOARD: The record shows that during the spring of
1978
the Carrier
abolished eight
(8)
maintenance gangs and established
eleven (11) construction gangs. According to the Organization the Carrier
violated applicable Rules -- particularly 11(a), 18(b) and 20 -- and "Letter
of Agreements" -- particularly one executed July 20,
1976
between the parties
by such actions. The Organization contends such actions were unnecessary for
the Carrier to accomplish its intended goal; instead, per the Organization
all that was necessary were number changes of the gangs involved.
According to the Carrier, the abolishment and establishment of the
gangs was made necessary by changes in the type of signal work required -from maintenance to constru
of such gangs changes from one management group to another. The Carrier also
contends the Organization's claim is vague, and lacks specificity as to
employee whoa it contends would be adversely affected.
It is~veil=a.~ablished that the responsibility to determine work
processes and methods is\within the province of the Carrier, except where it
can be speci_.iaa47v demonptrated that such reserved right has been shared
with the Organizatfon., 'fhe Carrier has determined a need for a shift in the
type
of
work to be performed, doing so within its authority. It is also
with
its
authority
to
alter the make-up of the work force to accomplish
such ends. There is no showing that such action was violative of the
Agreement or otherwise arbitrary or capricious.
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;
Award Number
23492
Docket Number
SG-22966
Page 2
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,
1931+;
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
Claim denied.
NATIONAL, RAILROAD ADJUSTMENT BOARD
By Order of Third Division
Attest:
Executive Secretary
Dated at Chicago, Illinois, this 8th day of January
1982.
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JAN 2 5,
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