Form 1 NATIONAL RAILROAD ADJUSTMENT BOARD Award No. 26778
THIRD DIVISION Docket No. MW-26546
88-3-85-3-290
The Third Division consisted of the regular members and in
addition Referee Edwin H. Benn when award was rendered.
(Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes
PARTIES TO DISPUTE:
(National Railroad Passenger Corporation - (Amtrak)
Northeast Corridor
STATEMENT OF CLAIM: "Claim of the System Committee of the Brotherhood that:
(1)(a) The Carrier violated the Agreement when it required Messrs.
J. S. Craig, L. Slavin, H. Douglas, E. Dickson, W. Allison, G. Young, A.
Plant, G. Wright, W. McKinnon, W. Siwarski, N. Welch, M. Zimmerman, J. Madron,
C. Race, K. Briscoe, W. Crook, A. Affonsa, J. Wright and K. Harris assigned to
either Gang Z-172, Gang Z-182 or Gang Z-192 to suspend work for four (4) hours
on December 12, 1983.
(b) The Carrier violated the Agreement when it required Messrs. J.
S. Craig, L. Slavin, H. Douglas, E. Dickson, W. Allison, G. Young, A. Plant,
D. Williams, G. Wright, J. Williams, W. Siwarski, G. Addison, B. Sudler, N.
Welch and R. Merlini assigned to either Gang Z-172 or Gang Z-182 to suspend
work for two and one-half (2 1/2) hours on December 13, 1983 (System File
NEC-BMWE-SD-834).
(2)(a) Because of the violation referred to in Part (1)(a) hereof
each claimant listed therein shall be allowed four (4) hours of pay at their
respective straight time rates.
(b) Because of the violation referred to in Part (1)(b) hereof
each claimant listed therein shall be allowed two and one-half (2 1/2) hours
of pay at their respective straight time rates."
FINDINGS:
The Third Division of the Adjustment Board upon the whole record
and all the evidence, finds that:
The carrier or carriers and the employe or employes involved ii this
dispute are respectively carrier and employes within the meaning of the
Railway Labor Act as approved June 21, 1934.
This Division of the Adjustment Board has jurisdiction over the
dispute involved herein.
Parties to said dispute waived right of appearance at hearing thereon.
Form 1 Award No. 26778
Page 2 Docket No. MW-26546
88-3-85-3-290
Due to weather related reasons, on December 12, 1983, Gangs Z-172,
182 and 192 of the Carrier's Panel Renewal System were required to suspend
work after working four hours. Although the Carrier asserts that on December
13, 1983, Claimants were given the option of continuing work (a fact that does
not determine the outcome of this case in light of our ultimate holding), on
that date work was suspended for Gangs Z-172 and 182 after working five and
one-half hours, again due to weather related factors. Although the gangs in
issue have an authorized force of ten or more (Z-172 had an authorized force
of 12; Z-182 had 13 and Z-192 had 14), on the relevant dates those gangs had
less than ten employees actually reporting for duty. The Carrier compensated
Claimants for time actually worked on December 12 and 13, 1983. The Organization seeks additional pa
to eight hours pay for each day.
Rule 32 states:
"FORTY HOUR WORK WEEK
Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, AMTRAK will establish for all employes a
work week of 40 hours, consisting of five (5)
days of eight (8) hours each, with two (2)
consecutive days off in each seven (7). The
work week may be staggered in accordance with
AMTRAK's operational requirements. So far as
practicable, the days off shall be Saturday and
Sunday."
Rule 52 states:
"WORKING LESS THAN FULL DAY WHEN WEATHER
CONDITIONS PREVENT WORK BEING PERFORMED
(a) When the foreman and supervisor in
charge determine that weather conditions prevent
work being performed, employees in gangs of ten
(10) or more reporting at their regular starting
time and place for the day's work will be
allowed a minimum of four (4) hours [five (5)
hours for four (4) day gangs]; if held on duty
beyond four (4) hours [five (5) hours for four
(4) day gangs], they will be paid on a minute
basis.
(b) The allowance provided by this rule
shall not be used as a basis for determining
whether the weather conditions permit work to be
performed."
Form 1 Award No. 26778
Page 3 Docket No. MW-26546
88-3-85-3-290
Thus, Rule 52 permits payment of less than eight hours for shortened
work days due to weather related conditions for gangs of ten or more. Under
the circumstances of this case, we do not agree with the Organization that
Rule 52 is inapplicable because the actual number of employees reporting for
work on the days in issue was less than ten per gang. It is undisputed that
the gangs were authorized at levels in excess of ten employees per gang. A
fair reading of Rule 52 is consistent with the Carrier's position that the
overall makeup of the gang dictates application of the Rule. We find nothing
in the record to indicate that the Carrier has manipulated the levels of the
gangs so as to always keep the levels at more than ten or has made work assignments is order to avoi
Indeed, if such evidence existed, we would sustain the Claim. However, in
this case, the record demonstrates that the Organization has not met its burden of showing a Rule vi
A W A R D
Claim denied.
NATIONAL RAILROAD ADJUSTMENT BOARD
By Order of Third Division
Attest:
Nancy J. ev - Executive Secretary
Dated at Chicago, Illinois, this 28th day of January 1988.