NATIONAL RAILROAD ADJUSTTINNT BOARD

THIRD DIVISION


Form 1 Award No. 30476
Docket No. CL-30918
94-3-92-3-754

The Third Division consisted of the regular members and in addition Referee Joseph A. Sickles when award was rendered.

PARTIES TO DISPUTE: (Transportation Communications
( International Union
(
(National Railroad Passenger Corporation
(AMTRAK)
STATEMENT OF CLAIM:





(1) Clerk forklift #A44842 should be taken out of

' service and properly repaired or replaced.







Form 1 Award No. 30476
Page 2 Docket No. CL-30918
94-3-92-3-754










Mark Gorham BG-803 Sat. & Sun. $95.93
John Sweeney BC-811 Sat. & Sun $95.45
John Shea BG-806 Fri. & Sat. $90.98
Robert Conti BG-807 Sun. & Mon. $90.98
Thomas Shay BG-818 Fri. & Sat. $89.97
Thomas Lee BG-821 Thr. & Fri. $89.97
Richard Foley BG-822 Sat. & Sun. $89.97
John Laselva BG-824 Tue. & Wed. $91.44 (T&F)
$89.97 (S)
$90.98 (S&M)








PARTIES TO DISPUTE:


This matter has been returned to the Board, on the request of the organization, for another Interpretation. The Board has reviewed the. written arguments and heard oral presentations of the parties. We note that the Award that was rendered by this Board on September 13, 1994 sustained the claim which was progressed to the Board solely on the time limit issue.


As noted in the September 1, 1995 Interpretation No. 1 to this Award, we noted that the claim was sustained for the period of December 26, 1989 at eight hours per day for each Claimant at the punitive rate through June 12, 1990, the date of carrier's second level denial.


In the September 13, 1994 Award in this case, we noted that, once the organization presented the dispute in the form of a claim and cited a provision of the Agreement dealing with safety:


        "In our view, it was incumbent upon the Carrier to reply to the claims setting forth its various defenses, rather than ignoring the claim and presenting those defenses at a later time. The carrier violated its time limit obligation when it failed to reply to the claim."


When it became necessary to consider a request for Interpretation No. 1, we limited the sustaining Award to the period of time up to the Carrier's second level denial. But, at no time did the Carrier attempt to argue the position now presented for interpretation.

Whether or not an Award such as the one issued in this dispute is or is not punitive, and whether or not such Award should or should not be made, are matters which should have been raised and argued prior to the first Interpretation.
Page 2 Serial No. 360

                                        Interpretation No. 2 to Award No. 30476 Docket No. CL-30918


On September 13, 1994, we sustained the claim for eight hours at the punitive rate. No reference was made to a set-off.


In Interpretation No. 1, we limited the chronological time span of the sustained claim and, again, no question of set-off was mentioned.


The Carrier chose not to respond to the initial claim in a timely manner which has resulted in sustaining of the claim as presented. It is too late for the Carrier to argue, at this point, that there should be set-offs. The organization's contention is accepted as being accurate and controlling in this dispute.


Referee Joseph A. Sickles who sat with the Division as a member when Award 30476 was adopted, also participated with the Division in making this Interpretation.


                          NATIONAL RAILROAD ADJUSTMENT BOARD

                          By Order of Third Division


Dated at Chicago, Illinois, this 20th day of June 1996.
Form 1 Award No. 30476
Page 3 Docket No. CL-30918
94-3-92-3-754
EMPLOYE JOB SYMBOL REST DAYS RATE OF PAY
Joseph O'Connell BG-825 Thr. & Fri. $90.98 (S-T)
$89.97 (W)
Robert Pugsley BG-829 Sun. & Mon. $91.44
William Dorman BG-828 Wed. & Thr. $90.98 (F&S)
$91.44 (S&M)
$89.97 (T)
William Kent BG-830 Tue. & Wed. $89.97
Gerard.Etro BG-831 Mon. & Tue. $89.97
Steve Kostopoulos BG-832 Wed. & Thr. $89.97
James Ahern BG-833 Sat. & Sun. $90.98
Gaspar Terranova BG-834 Mon. & Tue. $90.98

      for 8 hours pay at the punitive rate commencing 60 days prior to this claim dated 2/24/90 and continuing for each and every work day thereafter, as a penalty, until these violations are fully corrected."


FINDINGS:

The Third Division of the Adjustment Board, upon the whole record and all the evidence, finds that: '


The carrier or carriers and the employee or employees involved in this dispute are respectively carrier and employee 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.


The instant dispute is presented to the Board solely on the basis of an asserted violation of the time limits.


An initial claim was filed on February 24, 1990 listing 11 distinct safety matters at South Station, Boston.


There was not a timely reply to the claim and the Carrier has taken the position that the issues addressed by the Organization are not in the proper forum, since the matters raised were safety issues.


The February 24, 1990 claim set forth various items concerning hazardous conditions and cited Rules 8-C-1 and 8-F-1.

Form 1 Award No. 30476
Page 4 Docket No. CL-30918
94-3-92-3-754

Rule 8-C-1 states that the health and safety of employees shall be protected and sets forth certain requirements.


We make no determination as to whether or not the merits of the "claim" were properly established, but the Organization presented the dispute in the form of a claim and cited a provision of the Agreement dealing with safety. In our view, it was incumbent upon the Carrier to reply to the claim setting forth its various defenses, rather than ignoring the claim and presenting those defenses at a later time. The Carrier violated its time limit obligations when it failed to reply to the claim.


                        A W A R D


                      Claim sustained.


                              ORDER


This Board, after consideration of the dispute identified above, hereby orders that an award favorable to the Claimant(s) be made. The Carrier is ordered to make the Award effective on or before 30 days following the postmark date the Award is transmitted to the parties.

                      NATIONAL RAILROAD ADJUSTMENT BOARD

                      By Order of Third Division


Dated at Chicago, Illinois this 13th day of September, 1994