Form 1 NATIONAL RAILROAD ADJUSTMENT BOARD
THIRD DIVISION
Award No. 31062
Docket No. SG-30424
95-3-92-3-177

The Third Division consisted of the regular members and in addition Referee John B. LaRocco when award was rendered.


PARTIES TO DISPUTE:


                  STATEMENT OF CLAIM "Claim on behalf of the General Committee of the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen on the Norfolk Southern Corp. (former N&W Railroad):


          (a) The Carrier violated the Signalmen's Agreement in particular Rules 508 and 500, when on February 20, 1991, the Carrier failed to award the position of Signal Foreman Gang #591 or Gang #669 to Mr. Driscoll.


          (b) The carrier should now award Mr. R. A. Driscoll the position of signal gang foreman and pay him the signal foreman's rate of pay starting March 4, 1991, the day Mr. Driscoll should have been assigned this position, and continuing for each day the violation continues. Carrier File SG-NORF-91-2. BRS File No. 8613."


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.

Claimant established seniority as a Signal Foreman on May 10, 1979. During the ensuing years, claimant occupied several Signal

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Form 1 Award No. 31062
Page 3 Docket No. SG-30424
95-3-92-3-177

assignment in his own class. Rule 504(b) clearly contemplates that once a signal employee satisfactorily completes the probationary period in the promoted class and obtains seniority as a Signal Foreman, the employee does not forfeit Foremen's seniority if the Carrier subsequently disqualifies the employee from a Signal Foreman's position.


The seniority forfeiture provision contained in Rule 504 (a) applies only to an employee who accepts a "promotion" and then fails to qualify before the expiration of the 30 day trial period. The phrase "accepting promotion" means the first time a signal employee is awarded a position in a higher classification (in which he holds no seniority) than the employee currently occupies. Furthermore, Article V(b) defines "promotion" as the advancement from a lower to a higher seniority class. When Claimant was disqualified from the Signal Foreman's position on March 8, 1990, he was not being disqualified from a position to which he had been promoted. Rather, the position was available to him in the normal exercise of his seniority rights through the bulletin and bidding process because he had already attained seniority in the class of Signal Foremen.


Therefore, Claimant was governed by Rule 504 (b) as opposed to Rule 504(a). As a consequence, the Carrier must reinstate Claimant's seniority in the Foreman class.


While Claimant requests that he should be placed on a Foremen's position in seniority order ahead of signal employees who do not hold seniority in the Foremen's class, the record reflects that Claimant was not qualified as a Signal Foreman in February 1991. The Board can presume that in February 1991, Claimant continued to be unqualified for a Signal Foreman's position pursuant to his disqualification back in March 1990. Indeed, this Board has already passed judgment on the Carrier's decision to disqualify him in March 1990. Claimant has not come forward with any evidence exhibiting that he possessed the ability to become qualified for the Foremen's job within the qualifying period. He held the same credentials and capabilities in February 1991 that he held in March 1990.


However, the carrier shall reinstate Claimant's Foreman seniority without impairment and he may bid on new positions or vacancies per Rule 504 (b) provided he upgrades his skills and abilities. If Claimant is a successful bidder, the Carrier will thereafter determine if he is currently qualified for the particular position on which Claimant places himself. If Claimant disagrees with the Carrier's decision, he may file a claim appealing the decision.

Form 1 Award No. 31062
Page 4 Docket No. SG-30424
95-3-92-3-177

In summary, the Board denies the portion of the claim requesting that Claimant be placed on a Foreman's position and awarded backpay, but we sustain the claim to the extent that Claimant still holds seniority in the Foremen's class which he originally established on May 10, 1979.


                          AWARD


      Claim sustained in accordance with the Findings.


                          GRDS$


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 1st day of September 1995.