Form 1 NATIONAL RAILROAD ADJUSTMENT BOARD
THIRD DIVISION
Award No. 32986
Docket No. MW-34030
98-3-97-3-543
The Third Division consisted of the regular members and in addition Referee
Martin H. Malin when award was rendered.
(Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes
PARTIES TO DISPUTE:
(Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (former
( Burlington Northern Railroad)
STATEMENT OF CLAIM:
"Claim on behalf of the System Committee of the Brotherhood that:
(1) The discipline [ten (10) day suspension] imposed upon Laborer R.
L. Overholt for alleged violation of Rule 1.1.2 in connection with an
incident which resulted in a personal injury on May 9, 1996 was
arbitrary, capricious, without just and sufficient cause and in
violation of the Agreement (System File C-96-S09010/MWA960819AC BNR).
(2) As a consequence of the violation referred to in Part (1) above, the
Claimant's record shall be .cleared of the charges leveled against
him and he shall be compensated for all wage loss suffered."
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.
Form 1 Award No. 32986
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98-3-97-3-543
Parties to said dispute were given due notice of hearing thereon.
On May 9, 1996, Claimant was injured while guiding a tie that was being moved
with a boom into position. On May 15, Claimant was notified to appear for an
Investigation on May 21 concerning his alleged responsibility concerning the incident
which led to his injury. The Investigation was held as scheduled. On June 18, 1996,
Claimant was advised that he had been found guilty of violating Rule 1.1.2 and was
suspended for ten days.
The Organization maintains that Claimant was not given a ffair Hearing because
the same Carrier official issued the Notice of Investigation, served as Hearing Officer
and assessed the discipline. The Organization further contends that Carrier failed to
prove a violation of Rule 1.1.2 by substantial evidence. Carrier argues that it afforded
Claimant a fair Investigation and that it proved the violation by substantial evidence.
The Board has reviewed the record
carefully- We are not nenclluded by the
Organization's procedural argument. The General Gang Roadmaster issued the
Investigation notice, served as Hearing Officer and assessed the discipline. However,
neither the Organization nor the Claimant took any exception to the General Gang
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Jet Vlng as nearing muter prior to or during the investigation.
Furthermore, it is apparent from the record that the General Gang Roadmaster was not
directly involved in the incident under investigation. Accordingly, we reject the
Organization's contention that Claimant's due process rights were violated.
Turning to the merits, we find that Carrier proved the Rule violation by
substantial evidence. The evidence established that Claimant was injured when he
Qra.cned a tie that
was heinn ,eninarlod
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place. The evidence further established that the Truck Driver had instructed Claimant
to stay away from the ties as they were being unloaded and to wait until they touched
the ground before guiding them into place. Instead, Claimant grasped the tie when it
was chest high., Furthermore, the Foreman testified .that he had instructed the
employees not to grasp a tie until it was waist high because of difficulty controlling ties
when they are above the waist. Thus, the evidence established that Claimant, on his
own, decided to 2raSD the tie before
it had reached the ornnnd_ dicreoardina the Trllelr
Driver's instructions, and when it was above waist high, disregarding the general
instructions of the Foreman.
Form 1 Award No. 32986
i age 3 Docket No. MW-34030
98-3-97-3-543
The Organization contends that these facts do not prove Claimant violated Rule
1.1.2. Rule 1.1.2 provides: "Employees must be careful to prevent injuring themselves
or others. They must be alert and attentive when performing their duties and perform
their work to avoid injury." We believe that Rule 1.1.2 is broad enough to encompass
Claimant's grasping the tie when he should not have and
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high to control safely. Accordingly, we find Carrier proved the Rule 1.1.2 violation by
substantial evidence.
AWARD
Claim denied.
ORDER
This Board, after consideration of the dispute identified above, hereby orders that
an award favorable to the Ciaimant(s) not be made.
NATIONAL RAILROAD ADJUSTMENT BOARD
By Order of Third Division
Dated at Chicago, Illinois, this 23rd day of December 1998.