Rule 11.8 grants senior employees preference for overtime work if they are qualified and available. There is no dispute that the Claimant was qualified and that he was senior to B. Pearce. The sequence of events in this dispute is of paramount importance regarding the Claimant's availability.

The record establishes that Roadmaster Wydeen called the Claimant to work on January 13, 1996, which was one of the Claimant's rest days. He was assigned to begin work at 1:00 P.M. clearing snow from switches at Mile Post 693. It is undisputed that the Claimant was released at 5:30 P.M.

While the Claimant was clearing switches, the Roadmaster sought additional manpower to assist train movements at Binghamton Yard by removing snow. The Carrier admits that the Roadmaster called the furloughed junior employee between 1:00 P.M. and 5:30 P.M., but did not find him at home. The Roadmaster left a message for the junior employee to call the Roadmaster's home upon his return. At 7:00 P.M., the junior employee returned home and called the Roadmaster. The Roadmaster told the junior employee to go to Binghamton Yard, where he worked 12 hours. There is no evidence that a similar message was left at the Claimant's home. Nor is there any evidence that an attempt was made to ascertain the Claimant's availability at any time between 5:30 P.M. and 7:00 P.M.

The Carrier's allegations of emergency circumstances were refuted by the Organization, thus triggering the Carrier's obligation to provide probative evidence to establish the fact. On this record, no such evidence was proffered. The affirmative defense, therefore, stands unproven.

Given the foregoing facts, the Carrier failed in its obligation to properly administer Rule 11.8. It is also clear that the Claimant lost a valuable overtime opportunity as a result. Accordingly, we must sustain the claim.

AWARD