Form 1 NATIONAL RAILROAD ADJUSTMENT BOARD
THIRD DIVISION
.-sward No. 31902
Docket No. CL-31980
97-3-94-3-364

The Third Division consisted of the regular members and in addition Referee Herbert L. Mar:. Jr. when award was rendered.

(Transportation Communications international Union PARTIES TO [SPLTF:(



STATENIE\T OF CLAIM:










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.
Form 1 Award No. 31902
Page 2 Docket No. CL-31980
97-3-94-3-364

This Division of the Adjustment Board has jurisdiction over the dispute involved herein.




On March 12, 1992, the Claimant was disqualified from the position of UsherIGateman, a position he had held since February 10, 1992. The circumstances of this disqualification are reviewed in Third Division Award 31901.


On April 13, 1992, the Claimant again sought to displace on an Usher/Gateman position. The Carrier refused to permit him to do so. The Organization (which had disputed the previous disqualification) argued that the Claimant was entitled to the UsherIGateman position on April 13, 1992 either (a) because he was already qualified for the position (but denial Award 31901 disposes of this argument); or because he was entitled to such opportunity under Rule 1-B-1(a), which puts employees "in line" for promotion, and Rule 2-A-5(a), which offers employees 30 days in which to qualify.


The Carrier reasonably states that there is nothing to believe the Claimant has achieved greater capacity to qualify within the single month since his previous disqualification. The Board concurs that the placement of the Claimant onto the UsherIGateman position would have been an exercise is futility.








This Board, after consideration of the dispute identified above, hereby orders that an award favorable to the Claimants) not be made.



                      By Order of Third Division


Dated at Chicago, Illinois, this 4th day of March 1997.