ARRITRATION PROCEEDING
United Transportation Union
and
Union Pacific Railroad Company, et al.
Control and Merger - Southern Pacific
Transportation Company, et al.
Appearances:
For the Orcani2ation:
Byron A. Boyd, Jr., Assistant President
Clinton J. Miller III, General Counsel
J. Previsich, General Chairman
STB Finance Docket
No. 32760
Findinas and Award
Pursuant to Art. I,
Section 4, New
York
Dock Conditions
w. S. Hinckley, General Director Labor Relations
Dick Meredith, Asst. Vice President-Employee Relations, Planning
Catherine J. Andrews, Assistant Director Labor Relations
Mark E. Brennan, Operating Department
The parties to this dispute are the United Transportation
Union and the Union Pacific System/Southern Pacific System. In
Finance Docket No. 32760, the U.S. Department of Transportation,
Surface Transportation Board (STB) approved the merger of the two
systems which included various rail entities.
In accordance with New York Dock provisions the Carrier served
notices on the organization's General Chairmen covering two
geographical areas referred to by the Carrier as the Salt Lake Hub
and the Denver Hub. The parties in their submissions detailed the
negotiating dates which covered approximately a 120 day period.
The parties were unable to reach an agreement and a request was
made for arbitration in accordance with New York Dock. The parties
were unable to jointly select an arbitrator and through a joint
letter to the National Mediation Board requested that one be
appointed. By letter dated February 21, 1997 the undersigned was
appointed by the National Mediation Board.
This arbitration is somewhat unique in that in addition to the
normal terms and conditions of arbitration, under New York Dock,
the Organization requested arbitration of what is known as the
"commitment letter". This letter was signed by the Carrier and
addressed to the Organization's President and provided for certain
commitments with regards to the entire merger process beginning
with the Carrier's filing with the STB. It is the Organization's
position that the Carrier did not live up to the commitments and as
a result the issues raised therein should be arbitrated.
Two separate arbitration presentations were made beginning on
March 25, 1997, one covering the commitment letter and the other
the terms and conditions to govern the two Hubs. Since these two
hearings are so intertwined, they shall be dealt with in this one
award.
COMMTTMENT LETTER
The purpose of the letter was to 1. Limit the Organization's
exposure in the merger to items "necessary" to completing the
merger, 2. Gain protection certification under New York Dock for a
number of employees, and 3. Give affected General committees an
opportunity to develop a seniority system for the merged areas.
In exchange, the Carrier wanted 1. the UTU's support for the
merger and operating plans, 2. the Organization's recognition that
some changes were "necessary" in the merger and, 3. a seniority
system that was not illegal, administratively burdensome or costly.
It is apparent that the writer and the addressee of the
commitment letter understood the benefits of a simpler merger
process than the parties had previously undertaken: however, the
negotiators on both sides failed to see the same benefits and in
essence pushed the envelope too far. Both parties included items
in their proposals that went beyond what was necessary. While the
Organization was the moving party in requesting arbitration over
the letter, their proposals included several unnecessary items such
as changing work rules, cherry picking work rules, certification
beyond the number in the commitment letter in lieu of relocation
and a seniority system that was administratively burdensome and
potentially more costly. However, when the Carrier's proposals,
which included an unnecessary 25 mile zone and crew consist changes
are brought before this arbitrator, it is not difficult to say that
anything beyond what was contemplated in the commitment letter will
not be used to escape any commitment to provide for automatic
certification as provided later in this award, because the parties
failed to make a voluntary agreement.
It is apparent to this arbitrator that not all the parties to
the negotiations are aware or understand the value the organization
received by the letter. Some members of the Organization's
negotiating team apparently feel there is no need to reach a
voluntary agreement in order to achieve automatic certification and
have made demands that most certainly will not lead to such a
voluntary agreement. on the other hand, as mentioned above the
Carrier has reached beyond the limits that would be acceptable to
creating a voluntary agreement.
Neither party should take comfort in future negotiations that
this award provides for future automatic certification. The
commitment letter is an example of responsible recognition of the
needs of both parties
and for
the first round of merger
negotiations/arbitration this arbitrator simply will not substitute
his Judgement for those behind the commitment letter.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
One of the key areas of dispute deals with what is "necessary"
to accomplish the merger. In reviewing previous mergers and the
need to
coordinate employees
and operations at common points and
over parallel operations, it is proper to unify the employees and
operations
under a
single collective bargaining agreement and
single seniority system in each of the two Hubs. This does not
mean the Carrier has authority to write a new agreement, but the
Carrier's selection of one of the existing collective bargaining
agreements to apply to all those involved in a Hub as proposed in
this case is appropriate.
While selecting one existing collective bargaining agreement
puts many issues to rest, both parties recognized in the letter
that other changes may be necessary for a merger to accomplish a
smooth flow of operations. These changes, however, were not to be
monetary but operational. Such operational changes would
include
the combining of yards into single terminals, consolidating pool
freight, local and road switcher operations and
combining extra
boards into fewer extra
boards that
would cover the more expansive
operations of the two Hubs.
Seniority is always the most difficult part of a merger.
There are several different methods of putting seniority together
but each one is a double-edged sword. In a merger such as this one
that also involves line abandonments and alternate routing
possibilities on a regular basis, the tendency is to present a more
complicated seniority structure as the Organization did. What is
called for is not a complicated structure but a more simplified one
that relies on New York Dock protection for those adversely
affected and not perpetuating seniority disputes long into the
future. The Carrier's proposals fairly address the issue in both
Hubs.
There are two issues that must be addressed with regards to
crew consist. The first is the special allowance/productivity fund
issue and the second is the Carrier's request for the least
restrictive yard/local provisions to overlay the Eastern District
agreement. The second is easier to deal with. If the Carrier
believed that another agreement would better fit this area, it had
the opportunity to select that agreement for this area in total.
Since it did not, this arbitrator will not give a separate crew
consist provision to them. The Eastern District agreement covers
this area with respect to crew size and work in both yard and road
service.
The special allowance/productivity funds must be coordinated.
This arbitrator does not see any undue advantage to the Carrier in
its proposal to pay out the existing funds and create a new one.
Those who would have been eligible for a productivity fund and
special allowance had they worked under the Eastern District
agreement since their entry into train service shall be entitled to
them under the new plan. Those who sold their special
allowances/productivity funds. previously are not entitled to a
windfall now and would not be eligible for those payments
regardless of their seniority date.
Without the commitment letter, the Carrier is not required to
certify any employees as protected. The letter identified a number
of employees to be protected and the Carrier's notices, as amended,
identified a larger number. Since the Carrier's proposal exceeded
the commitment letter, it should protect the larger number
-referenced in its notices. If the Eastern District General
Chairman and Carrier are not able to agree within 30 days of this
Award who the specific employees are, then it shall be the
employees whose assignments are involuntarily changed until the
number in the notices is reached. If both proposals were proper
and were not over reaching, as they were here, then this arbitrator
would not have imposed this provision.
I have identified the major issues in more detail above and
now turn to the proposals. In reviewing the proposals, this Board
finds that the Carrier's proposals, including questions and
answers, for each Hub, submitted to this panel are appropriate for
inclusion as part of this Award except for the following:
Salt Lake City proposal:
1. Article III A (2) and (3) concerning the metro complex.
2. Article IV B (1) concerning the 25 mile zone.
3. Article VI protection is amended per above.
4. Article VIII E. Concerning the least restrictive crew
consist.
5. All questions and answers referring to these eliminated
sections.
Denver Hub proposal:
1. Article_IV H (1) concerning the 25 mile zone.
2. Article VI protection is amended per above.
3. Article IX E concerning the least restrictive crew
consist.
4. All questions and answers referring to these eliminated
sections.
Copy of Carrier's proposed implementing agreement for the salt
Lake Hub and the Denver Hub are attached hereto and made a part of
this Award.
This arbitrator is convinced from the facts of record that the
changes contained in the Carrier's proposals as modified by the
exceptions noted herein are necessary to effectuate the STH's
approved consolidation and yield enhanced efficiency in operations
benefiting the general public and the employees of the merged
operations.
This Award is final and effective immediately. Should the
Organization and the Carrier desire to continue negotiations over
other elements then they should so proceed. These negotiations
should be between the Eastern District General Chairman and the
Carrier. These would be voluntary and not subject to Section 4 New
York Dock arbitration if they do not prove fruitful.
Signed this 14th day of April 1997.
- d*w4,)
,raphs E. Yost, rbi rator
MERGER IMPLEMENTING
AGREEMENT
(Salt Lake Hub)
between the
UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD COMPANY
SOUTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD COMPANY
and the
UNITED TRANSPORTATION UNION
In Finance Docket No. 32760, the Surface Transportation Board approved the
merger of Union Pacific Railroad Company/Missouri Pacific Railroad Company (Union
Pacific or UP) with the Southern Pacific Transportation Company, the SPCSL Corp., the
SSW Railway and the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad Company (SP). In
approving this transaction, the STS imposed New York Dodo labor protective conditions.
In order to achieve the benefits of operational changes made possible by the
transaction, to consolidate the seniority of all employees working in the territory covered
by this Agreement into one common. seniority district covered under a single, common
collective bargaining agreement,
IT IS AGREED:
I.
SALT LAKE HUB.
A new seniority district shall be created that is within the following area: DRGW mile
post 446.5 at Grand Junction, UP mile post 161.02 at Yermo, UP mile post 665.0 and SP
mile post 553.0 at Elko, UP mile post 110.0 at McCammon and UP mile post 647 at
Granger and all stations, branch lines, industrial leads and main line between the points
identified.
SENIORITY AND WORK CONSOLIDATION
.
The following seniority consolidation will be made:
A. A new seniority district will be formed and master Seniority Rosters(UP/UTU) Salt Lake Hub-will be created for the employees working as Conductors,
Brakemen, Yardmen ( the tern yardman shall, in this agreement, refer to all yard positions
utuslc031797
including foreman, helper, utility man, herder, switchtender and post October 31, 1985
hostlers) and Firemen in the Salt Lake Hub on November 1, 1996. ( The term 'trainmen'
is used hereafter as a generic term to include all UTU-C,TBY represented employees and
where applicable all UTU-E represented employees) The four new rosters will be created
as follows:
1.
Switchmen/brakemen placed on these rosters will be dovetailed based upon
the employee's current seniority date. If this process results in employees having
identical seniority dates, seniority will be determined by the employee's current hire
date with the Carrier.
2. Conductors placed on these rosters will be dovetailed based upon the
employee's actual promotion date into the craft. If this process results in employees
having identical seniority dates, seniority will be determined by the employee's current
hire date with the Carrier.
3. All employees placed on a roster may work all assignments protected by a
roster in accordance with their seniority and the provisions set forth in this
agreement.
4. New employees hired and placed on the rosters subsequent to the adoption
of this agreement will have no prior rights.
B. Employees assigned to the merged rosters with a seniority date prior to
November 1, 1996, will be accorded primary prior rights reflecting their previous seniority
areas that remain in the Hub and secondary prior rights with dovetail rights being the final
determination for selection purposes to pool operations as follows:
POOL PRIMARY SECONDARY DOVETAIL
SLC-MILFORD S. CENTRAL NONE YES
SLC-POCATELLO IDAHO NONE YES
SLC-Green River UPEDAOAN0-redo NONE YES
OG-Green Riwr UPED DRGW YES
OG-ELKO SP WP YES
SLC-ELKO WP SP YES
SLC.ProwHHpu4mexL DRGW NONE YES
SLC-PROVO DRGW NONE YES
Milford-Provo/Helper SO. CENTRAL DRGW YES
utusic031797
Milford-Las Vegas So. CentraULas Vegas NONE YES
Las Vegas-Yertno LAS VEGAS NONE
YES
C. Yard crews will not be restricted in a terminal where they can operate but the
following will govem which employees will have preference for assignments that go on duty
in the following areas:
Note 1: The Carrier dqes not plan Salt Lake City - Ogden pool operations and this
service
will
be handled by an extra board or road switcher service. If sufficient extra
work develops to sustain 4 or more pool turns, then a pool shall be established and
pro rated on a 50150 basis with Idaho prior right employees taking the odd
numbered turns and DRGW prior right employees taking the even numbered turns.
Note 2: Salt Lake City - Helper may be combined with either the Salt Lake City -
Grand Junction or the Salt Lake City - Provo pool.
Note 3: This Section does not limit the Carrier to these pool operations. New
pools operated on prior rights areas will have the same primary prior rights and
those that operate over two prior right areas will be manned from the dovetail roster.
Note 4: The Salt Lake City-Elko pool and the Salt Lake City-Grand Junction pool
shall be single-headed operations with Salt Lake City as the home terminal. The
Carrier shall give ten days written notice
of
the change to single headed pools
if
not
given in the original 30 day implementation notice.
LOCATION PRIMARY
SECONDARY DOVETAIL
ROPER DRGW IDAHO YES
SLC.NorthYardAntermodal IDAHO DRGW YES
OGDEN OURDADAHO SP YES
ELKO WP SP YES
CARLIN SP WP YES
PROVO DRGW South Central YES
Transfer Jobs On Duty Point NONE YES
LAS VEGAS LAS VEGAS NONE
YES
D. Road Switchers will work in a given area and may cross prior right boundaries
Employees shall have prior rights to road switchers based on the on duty points:
utusIc031797
Salt Lake City - North: Idaho.
2. Salt Lake City - Provo: DRGW
3. Provo - Milford: South Central
4. Salt Lake City - Milford via Tintic: South Central
5. In other areas the prior rights of the on duty points will govern.
E. Locals that continue current operations shall be prior righted. Locals that operate
over more than one prior rights area shall be prior righted based on the on duty point.
F. It is understood that certain runs home terminaled in the Salt Lake Hub will have
away from home terminals outside the Salt Lake Hub and that certain runs home
temtinaled outside the Salt Lake Hub will have away from home terminals inside the Salt
Lake Hub. Examples are: Salt Lake City/Ogden runs to Green River and Pocatello, and
Portola/Sparks to Elko. It is not the intent of this agreement to create seniority rights that
interfere with these operations or to create double headed pools. For example, Sparks will
continue to be the home terminal for Sparks/Elko runs and a double headed pool will not
be established.
G. All trainman vacancies within the Salt Lake Hub must be filled prior to any trainman
being reduced from the working list or prior to trainman being permitted to exercise to any
reserve boards.
H. With the creation of the new seniority district all previous seniority outside the Salt
Lake Hub held by trainmen on the new rosters shall be eliminated and all seniority inside
the Hub held by trainmen outside the Hub shall be eliminated.
I. Trainmen will be treated for vacation and payment of arbitraries as though all their
service on their original railroad had been performed on the merged railroad.
J. Trainmen who have been promoted to Engine service and hold engine service
seniority inside the Salt Lake Hub and working therein on November 1, 1996 shall be
placed on the appropriate rosters) using their various trainmen seniority dates. Those
Engine service employees, if any, who do not have a train service date in the Salt Lake
Hub shall be given one in accordance with the October 31, 1985 National Agreement.
Those engine service employees who previously came from an area that was not covered
by an UTU-E contract shall be placed on the dovetail UTU-E roster with their current
"reserve engineer' (fireman) seniority date.
utuslc03 1797
provisions:
TERMINAL CONSOLIDATIONS
.
The terminal consolidations will be implemented in accordance with the following
A.
Salt Lake Citvl09den Metro Complex. A new consolidated Salt Lake City/Ogden
Metro Complex
will
be created to include the entire area within and including the following
trackage:
Ogden mile posts 989.0 UP east, 3.25 UP north and 780.21 SP west and to Salt
Lake City mile posts 739.0 DRGW south and 781.17 UP west.
1. All UP and SP pool, local, work train and road switcher operations within
the SLC/Ogden Metro Complex shall be operated as a single carrier operation.
2. All road crews may receive/leave their trains at any location within the
boundaries of the new complex and may perform any work within those boundaries
pursuant to the controlling collective bargaining agreements. The Carrier will
designate the on/off duty points for road crews within the new complex with the
on/off duty points having appropriate facilities for inclement weather and other
facilities as currently required in the collective bargaining agreement. The on-duty
points shall be the same as the off-duty points.
3. Alt rail lines, yards and/or sidings within the new complex will be considered
as common to all crews working in, into and out of the complex. All crews will be
permitted to perform all permissible road/yard moves . Interchange rules are not
applicable for intra-carrier moves within the complex.
4. In addition to the consolidated complex, all UP and SP operations within the
greater Salt Lake City area and all UP and SP operations (including the OURBD)
within the greater Ogden area shall be consolidated into two, separate terminal
operations. The existing switching limits at Ogden will now include the former SP
rail line to SP Milepost 780.21. The existing UP switching limits at Salt Lake City
will now include the Roper Yard switching limits (former DRGW) to DRGW Milepost
739.0.
B.
Provo. All UP and SP operations within the greater Provo area shall be
consolidated into a unified terminal operation.
C.
Elko/Cadin. All UP and SP operations within the greater Elko and Carlin area shall
be consolidated into a unified terminal operation at Elko. Carlin will become a station
enroute.
utuslc03 1797
D.
Gen ral Conditions for Terminal Operations.
1.
Initial delay and final delay will be governed by the controlling collective
bargaining agreement, including the Duplicate Pay and Final Terminal Delay
provisions of the 1985 and 1991 National Awards and implementing agreements.
2. Employees
will
be transported tolfrom their trains tolfrom their designated
on/off duty point in accordance with Article VIII, Section
1
of the October 31, 1985
National Agreement.
3. The current application of National Agreement provisions regarding road
work and Hours of Service relief under the combined road/yard service zone, shall
continue to apply. Yard.aews at any location within the Hub may perform such
service in alt directions out of their terminal.
Note: Items
1
through 3 are not intended to expand a restrict existing rules.
N.
POOL OPERATIONS.
A. The following pool oonsolidations may be implemented to achieve efficient
operations in the Salt Lake City Hub:
. 1.
Salt Lake City - Elko and Qaden - Elko. These operations may be run as
either two separate pools or as a combined pool with the home terminal within the
Salt Lake City/Ogden metro complex. This pool service shall be subject to the
following:
(a) If the pools are combined, then the former SP and WP trainmen shall
have prior rights on a 40/60 basis.
(b) It separate pools, the Carrier may operate the crews at the far terminal
of Elko as one pool back to the metro complex with the crew being
transported by the Carrier back to its original on duty point at the end of their
service trip.
(c) The Carrier must give ten days written notice of its intent to change the
number of pools or to combine the pools at Elko for a single pool returning
to Salt Lake City/Ogden.
utuslc031797
(d) Since Elko will no longer be a home terminal for pool freight operations
east to the metro complex a sufficient number of pool and extra board
employees will be relocated to the metro complex.
2.
Salt Lake City - Green River/Pocatello and Ogden - Green River. These
operations may be run as either one, two, or three separate pools. The Carrier shall
determine whether to combine any or all of the pools and shall give ten days notice
of its combining of pools.
3.
Salt Lake City - Grand junctionlHelRerl Provo. These operations may be
run as ether one, two, or three separate pools with the home terminal within the
metro complex. The carrier must give ten days written notice of its intent to change
the number of pools. If run as a combined pool(s) then prior rights to the pool(s)
shall be based on the percentages that existed on the day the ten day notice is
given.
4.
HelRer-Grand Junction/Provo and Milford-Provo/Heioer. Each of these
operations will be run as a single pool.
5.
Other Service. Any pool freight, local, work train or road switcher service
may be established to operate from any point to any other point within the new
Seniority District with the on duty point within the new seniority district.
Note: All service, with on duty points at Elko, operating to Winnemucca, but
net including Winnemucca, shall be operated as part of the Salt Lake City
Hub.
6. The operations listed in A 1-4 above, may be implemented separately, in
groups or collectively, upon ten (10) days written notice by the Carrier to the
General Chairman. Implementation notices governing item (5) above, shall be
governed by applicable collective bargaining agreements.
Note 1: While the Sparks-Carlin and Wendel-Carlin pools are not covered
in this notice it is understood that they will operate Sparks-Elko and WendelElko and will be paid actual miles when operating trains between these two
points pursuant to the current collective bargaining agreements and
will
be
further handled when merger coordinations are handled for that area.
Note 2: The Portola-Elko and Winnemucca-Elko pools shall continue to
operate pursuant to the current collective bargaining agreements and will be
further handled when merger coordinations are handled for that area.
utuslc031797
8. The terms and conditions of the pool operations set forth in Section A shall
be the same for all pool freight runs whether run as combined pools or separate pools.
The terms and conditions are those of the designated collective bargaining agreement as
modified by subsequent national agreements, awards and implementing documents and
those set forth below. The basic interdivisional Service conditions shall apply to all pool
freight service. Each pool shall be paid the actual miles run for service and combination
service/deadhead with a minimum of a basic day.
1.
Twenty-Five Mile Zone - At Salt Lake City, Ogden, Elko, Milford,
Grand Junction, Helper, Provo, Green River, Las Vegas, Yermo and
Pocatello pool crews may receive their train up to twenty-five miles on the
far side of the terminal and run on through to the scheduled terminal. Crews
shall be paid an additional one-half (54) basic day for this service in addition
to the miles run between the two terminals. If the time spent in this zone is
greater than four (4) hours, then they shall be paid on a minute basis.
Example: A Salt Lake City-Milford crew receives their north bound
train ten miles south of Milford but within the 25 mile zone limits and
runs to Salt Lake. They shall be paid the actual miles established for
the Salt Lake-Milford run and an additional one-half basic day for
handling the train from the point ten (10) miles south of Milford back
through Milford.
Note: Crews receiving their trains on the far side of their terminal but
within the Salt Lake-Ogden complex shall be paid under this
provision.
2.
Turnaround Service/Hours of Service Relief, Except as provided
in (1) above, turnaround service/hours of service relief at both home and
away from home terminals shall be handled by extra boards, if available,
prior to setting up other employees. Trainmen used for this service may be
used for multiple trips in one tour of duty in accordance with the designated
collective bargaining agreement rules. Extra boards may handle this service
in all directions out of a terminal that is within the Hub.
3. Nothing in this Section B (1) and (2) prevents the use of other
employees to perform work currently permitted by prevailing agreements.
C.
Agreement coverage. Employees working in the Salt Lake Hub shall be
governed, in addition to the provisions of this Agreement by the UP Agreement
covering the Eastern District for both road and yard, including all addenda and side
letter agreements pertaining to that agreement, the 1998 National Agreement
applicable to Union Pacific and previous National Agreement provisions Still
applicable. Except as specifically provided herein, the system and national
collective bargaining agreements, awards and interpretations shall prevail. None
utuslc031797
of the provisions of these agreements are retroactive. Since the employees have
not worked under a daily preference system in the yard the employees shall be
governed by the regular application system for yard assignments and the daily
preference system shall not apply in the Salt Lake Hub.
D. After implementation, the application process will be used to fill all vacancies
in the Hub as follows:
1. Prior right vacancies must first be filled by an employee with prior
rights. to the vacancy who is on a reserve board prior to considering
applications from employees who do not have prior rights to the assignment
2. If no prior right applications are received, then the junior dovetailed
employee on a reserve board at the location who holds prior rights to the
assignment will be forced to the assignment or permitted to exercise
seniority to a position held by another employee.
3. If there are no prior right employees on one of the reserve boards
covering the vacant prior right assignment, then the senior non prior right
applicant will be assigned. If no applications are received then the most
junior employee on any of the reserve boards will be recalled and will take
the assignment or displace a junior employee. If there are no trainmen on
any reserve boards, then the senior furloughed trainman in the Salt Lake
Hub shall be recalled to the vacancy. When forcing or recalling, prior rights
trainmen shall be forced or recalled to prior right assignments prior to
trainmen who do not have prior rights.
4. Non prior right vacancies will be filled by the senior applicant from the
dovetail roster. If no applicant then the junior employee on any reserve
board in the Hub shall be recalled to the vacancy in accordance with the
provisions of the UPED reserve board agreement.
V.
EXTRA BOARDS.
A. The following extra boards may be established to protect vacancies
and other extra board work in or out of the Salt Lake City/Ogden metro complex or
in the vicinity thereof:
1.
09dsn : One conductor and one brakemandswitchmen(total of two)
extra boards to protect the Ogden-Green River Pool, and the Ogden-Elko
Pool (if pools are operated separately), the Ogden yard assignments and all
road switchers, locals and work trains between Ogden-Green River,
Clearfield-McCammon and Ogden-Elko.
utusIc031797
9
2. Salt Lake North: One conductor and one brakemaNswitchmen (total
of two) extra boards to protect the Salt Lake. Pocatello/Green River Pool, the
Salt Lake-Elko pool, all Salt Lake Yard assignments and all road switchers,
locals and work trains between Salt Lake to Wendover and Salt Lake to
Clearfield except work trains may work all the way to Ogden
Note: If the Carrier operates Metro Complex pools to Pocatello/
Green River and Elko then the above extra boards will convert to two
sets of extra boards with one set covering east pool freight and one
covering west pool freight. The east extra boards will also cover all
road switcher, locals, yard assignments and work trains at or between
Salt Lake and Pocatello/Green River/Ogden with the west extra board
covering these assignments between Ogden/Salt Lake and Elko.
3. Salt Lake South: One conductor/brakeman extra board to protect
Salt Lake -Milford/Helper/Grand Junction/Provo pool(s) and all road switcher
local and work train assignments in this area.
Note: The Carrier may operate more than these extra boards in the
Salt Lake Metro complex. When more than these extra boards an
operated the Carrier shall notify the General Chairman what area
each extra board shall cover. When combining extra boards the
Carrier shall give ten (10) days written notice.
B. The Carrier may establish or keep extra boards at points such as Milford,
Provo, Helper, Elko, Las Vegas etc to meet the needs of service pursuant to the
designated collective bargaining agreement provisions. If there are less than three
yard assignments at any of these locations then the extra boards shall be
conductor/brakemerVawitchmen boards. If at least three yard assignments then the
extra boards shall be separated into a conductor board and a brakemen/switchmen
board.
C. At any location where both UP and SP/DRGW extra boards exist the Carrier
may combine these boards into one board.
The Ogden and Salt Lake extra boards shall be filled off the dovetail roster.
Extra Boards in prior right areas such as Milford, Las Vegas and Helper shall be
filled using prior rights. Extra boards at the dual locations of Provo and Elko shall
be filled on a 50/50 basis. At Grand Junction the extra board will be a combination
east-west board.
VI.
PROTECTION.
The Surface Transportation Board has stated that adversely affected
employees shall be covered by New York Dock protection.
utusIc031797
VII.
IMPLEMENTATION.
A. This implements the merger of the Union Pacific and Southern Pacific
railroad operations in the area covered by Notice 19W and any amended notices
thereto.
In addition, the parties understand that the overall implementation is being
phased in to accommodate the cut over of computer operations, dispatching, track
improvements and clerical support.
B. The Carrier shall give 30 days written notice for implementation of this
agreement and the number of initial positions that will be changed in the Hub.
Employees whose assignments are changed shall be permitted to exercise their
new seniority. After the initial implementation the 10 day provisions of the various
Articles shall govern.
C. Prior to the movement to reserve boards or transfers outside the Salt Lake
Hub, it will be necessary to fill all positions in the Salt Lake Hub.
D. In an effort to provide for employees to follow their work to areas outside the
Salt Lake Hub, the Carrier shall advertise vacancies at locations outside the Hub
for a period of one year from the implementation date, as long as a surplus of
trainmen exist in the Hub, for employees to make application. The dovetail roster
shall be used for determining the senior applicant. Should an insufficient number
of applications be received then the junior surplus employee shall be forced to the
vacancy. Employees who move by application or force shall establish new seniority
and relinquish seniority in the Hub.
YJIL
CREW CONSIST.
A. Upon implementation of this agreement (award) all crew consist productivity
funds that cover employees in the Hub shall be frozen pending payment of the
shares to the employees both inside the Hub and outside the Hub. A new
productivity fund shall be created on implementation day that will cover those
employees in the Salt Lake Hub and the funds that cover employees outside the
Hub shall continue for the employees who remain outside the Hub. The Salt Lake
Hub employees shall have no interest or share in payments made to those funds
after implementation date.
B. Payments into the new productivity fund shall be made in compliance with
the UPED crew consist agreement. Those employees who would have participated
in the shares of the productivity funds had they originally been hired on the UPED
shall be eligible to participate in the distribution of the new fund except as stated
in (D) below.
utusIc031797
C. Employees who would have been covered under the UPED special
allowance provisions had they been hired originally on the UP Eastern District shall
be entitled to a special allowance under those provisions except as stated in (D)
below.
D. Those employees who sold their special allowances/productivity funds
previously are not entitled to those payments under this agreement (award).
E. While the UPEO crew consist agreement will govern this Hub the Carrier is
not required to place yardmenlbrakemen on any local, road switcher, yard or other
assignment anywhere in the Hub that is was not required to use under the least
restrictive crew consist agreement that previously existed.
IX.
FAMILIARIZATION,
A. Employees will not be required to lose time or 'ride the road' on their own
time in order to qualify for the new operations. Employees will be provided with a
sufficient number of familiarization trips in order to become familiar with the new
territory. Issues concerning individual qualifications shall be handled with local
operating officers. The parties recognize that different terrain and train tonnage
impact the number of trips necessary and the operating officer assigned to the
merger will work with the local Managers of Operating Practices and local chairmen
in implementing this section.
X.
FIREMEN
A. This agreement also covers firemen. Pre-October 31, 1985 firemen will only
have seniority in the Salt Lake Hub and 1f unable to work an engineer's assignment
or a mandatory firemen'sfiostler psotian they shall be permitted to hold a fireman's
postion first in their prior rights area and second, using their dovetail seniority.
B. Post October 31, 1985 firemen shall continue to be restricted to mandatory
assignments and it unable to hold an engine service postion will be required to
exercise their train service seniority in the Hub.
XL
HEALTH AND WELFARE
Employees not previously covered by the UPED agreement shall have 60
A,ays to join the Union Pacific Hospital Association in accordance with that
agreement
utuslc031797
QUESTIONS ND ANSWERS UTU SALT LAKE H4tR
Article I - SALT LAKE HUB
Q l- Does the-hew seniority district change switching limits at the mile posts
indicated?
A1. No. It is the intent of this agreement to identify the new seniority territory and
not to change the existing switching limits except as specifically provided
elsewhere in this agreement.
02. Which Hub is Grand Junction in?
A2. For seniority purposes trainmen are in the Denver Hub, however due to the
unique nature of Grand Junction being a home terminal for one Hub and
away from home for another Hub, the extra board may perform service on
both sides of Grand Junction.
Q3. What Hub are the Valmy coal assignments in?
A3. Because they are on duty at Elko and work to or short of Winnemucca, but
not including Winnemucca, they are part of the Salt Lake Hub. This is also
true of assignments that work out of Carlin but short of Winnemucca.
Article 11- SENIORITY AND WORK CONSOLIDATION
04.
A4.
How long will prior rights rosters be in effect?
They will lose effect through attrition.
Q5. Do the OURBD rosters and agreements survive this merger?
A.S. No.
A.6
0.6 It is the intent of Article II B note 4 to operate SLC-Elko and SLC-Grand
Junction as one pool?
No, each of these pool are now double headed and it is the intent of that
note to run each pool as a single headed pool and not combine them with
each other.
Q7. In Article II(G), what does it mean when it refers to protecting all trainmen
vacancies within the Nub?
A7. If a vacancy exists in the Salt Lake Hub, it must be filled by a prior rights
employee prior to placing employees on reserve boards. If a non prior rights
employee is working in the Salt Lake Hub then a prior rights employee must
displace that person prior to prior right trainmen going to a reserve board.
If a vacancy exists in a pool and a trainman is on a reserve board that
utuslc031797 13
person will be recalled prior to the carrier using trainmen who do not hold
reserve board rights or hiring new trainmen..
08. Will existing pool freight terms and conditions apply on all pool freight runs?
A8. No. The terms and conditions set forth in the controlling collective
bargaining agreements and this document will govern.
What is the status of an employee who placed in the Hub after November 1,
1996 but prior to the implementation of this Award?
They shall be placed on the roster using their dovetail date but they shall not
have any prior rights.
010. Will an employee gain or lose vacation benefits as a result of the merger?
A10. No.
Q11. When the agreement is implemented, which vacabort agreement will apply?
A11. The vacation agreements used to schedule vacations for 1997 will be used for
the remainder of 1997. Thereafter the Eastern olstrtct Agreement wil govern.
012. If a local operated by a UP Idaho trainman previously went on duty at
the UP North Yard now goes on duty at the Roper Yard, does it now operate
over more than one seniority district or is it continuing current operations?
Changes in on duty points within a terminal or the travel over other trackage
in a terminal does not alone alter the 'continue current operations' intent of
the Agreement.
Q13. What is the status of firemen's seniority?
A13. Firemen seniority will be dovetailed in a similar manner as trainmen.
A12.
ARTICLE III · TERMINAL CONSOLIDATIONS
014. Are the national road/yard zones covering yard sews measured by the
metro complex limits or from the switching limits where the yard assignment
goes on duty?
A14. The switching limits where the yard crew goes on duty.
015. If crews go on duty in the Complex short of Ogden, is Ogden part of the
initial terminal?
A15. No, it is an intermediate point.
ARTICLE N - POOL OPERATIONS
Q 16. If the on duty point for the Salt Lake - Green River pool is moved from North
Yard to Roper Yard, will the mileage paid be increased?
utuslc031797
A16. Yes. The mileage will be from the center of Roper Yard to Green River
Q17. Can you give some examples of work currently permitted by prevailing
agreements as referenced in Article IV 8 3?
A17. Yes, yard crews are currently permitted to perform hours of service relief in
the road/yard zone established in the National Agreement, ID crews may
perform combination deadhead service and road switchers may handle
trains that are laid down in their zone.
Q18. Because of the elimination of Elko as a home terminal for pool service what
type of job assignment will the trainmen who remain at Elko protect?
A18. The Carrier anticipates that for those trainmen who remain in this area, that
based on manpower needs, the guaranteed extra board will protect extra
locals, branch line work (Valmy coal), yard vacancies, short turnaround
service, HOSA relief work and so forth.
019. Will the Carrier change the Las Vegas-Milford pool to a single-headed pool?
A19. No, not as a result of this merger notice. Article IX of the 1986 National
Award would govem any future action.
Q20. If a crew in the 25 mile zone is delayed in bringing the train into the original
terminal so that it does not have time to go on to the far terminal, what will
happen to the crew?
A20. Except in cases of emergency, the crew will be deadheaded on to the far
terminal.
Q21. Is it the intent of this agreement to use crews beyond the 25 mile zone?
A21. No.
Q22. In Article IV(8), is the 'A basic day for operating in the 25 mile zone frozen
and/or is it a duplicate payment/ special allowance?
A22. No, it is subject to future wage adjustments and it is not duplicate pay/special
allowance.
Q23. How is a crew paid if they operate in the 25 mile zone?
A23. If a pre-October 31, 1985 trainmen is transported to its train 10 miles south
of Milford and he takes the train to Salt Lake and the time spent is one hour
south of Milford and 9 hours 17 minutes between Milford and Salt Lake with
no initial or final delay earned, the employee shall be paid as follows:
A. One-half basic day for the service South of Milford because it
is less than four hours spent in that service.
B. The road miles between Salt Lake and Milford (207).
One hour overtime because the agreement provides for
overtime after 8 hours 17 minutes on the road trip between
Salt Lake and Milford.(207 miles divided by 25 = 8'17")
utuslc031797
024. Would a post October 31, 1985 trainman be paid the same?
A24. No. The National Disputes Committee has determined that post October 31,
1985 trainmen come under the overtime rules established under the National
Agreements/Awards/Implementing Agreements that were effective after that
date for both preexisting runs and subsequently established runs. As such,
the post October 31, 1985 trainman would not receive the one hour overtime
in C above but receive the payments in A 8 8.
025. How will initial terminal delay be determined when performing service as
outlined above?
A25. Initial terminal delay for crews entitled to such payments will be governed by
the applicable collective bargaining agreement and will not commence when
the crew operates back through the on duty point. Operation back through
the on duty point shall be considered as operating through an intermediate
point.
026. What does 'at the location' mean in Article N D 2?
A26. This is a gegraphical term that forces junior employees in the general
location to a vacancy rather than someone much farther away.
027. Is the identification of the UP Eastern District collective bargaining agreement
in Article IV(C) a result of collective bargaining or selection by the Carrier?
A27. Since UP purchased the SP system the Carrier selected the collective
bargaining agreement to cover this Hub.
028. When the UP Eastern District agreement becomes effective what happens
to existing claims filed under the other collective bargaining agreements that
formerly existed in the Salt Lake Hub?
A28. The existing claims shall continue to be handled in accordance with those
agreements and the Railway Labor Act. No new claims shall be filed under
those agreements once the time limit for filing claims has expired for events
that took place prior to the implementation date.
029. In
Article IV(D), if no applications are received for a vacancy on a prior rights
assignment, does the prior right trainman called to fill the vacancy have the
right to displace a junior prior right trainman from another assignment?
A29. Yes. That trairxnan has the option of exercising his/her seniority to another
position held by a junior prior right employee, within the time frame specified
in the controlling collective bargaining agreement, or accepting the force to
the vacancy.
utuslc031797
ARTICLE V - EXTRA BOARDS
Q30. How many extra boards will be combined at implementation?
A30. It is unknown at this time. The Carrier will give written notice of any
consolidations whether at implementation or thereafter.
Q31. Are these guaranteed extra boards?
A31. Yes. The pay provisions and guarantee offsets and reductions will be in
accordance with the existing UPED guaranteed extra board agreement.
ARTICLE VI - PROTECTION
032. What is loss on sale of home for less than fair value?
A32. This refers to the loss on the value of the home that results from the Carrier
implementing this merger transaction. In many locations the impact of the
merger may not affect the value of a home and in some locations the merger
may affect the value of a home.
Q33. If the parties cannot agree on the loss of fair value what happens?
A33. New York Dock Article I, Section 12(d) provides for a panel of real estate
appraisers to determine the value before the merger announcement and the
value after the merger transaction.
Q34. What happens if an employee sells a $50,000 home for $20,000 to a family
membeR
A34. That is not a bona fide sale and the employee would not be entitled to a New
York Dock payment for the difference below the fair value.
035. What is the most difficult part of New York Dock in the sale transaction?
A35. Determine the value of the home before the merger transaction. While this
can be done through the use of professional appraisers, many people think
their home is valued at a different amount.
Q36. Who is required to relocate and thus eligible for the allowance?
A36. An employee who can no longer hold a position at his/her location and must
relocate to hold a position as a result of the merger. This excludes
employees who are borrow outs or forced to a location and released.
037. Are there mileage components that govern the eligibility for an allowance?
A37. Yes, the employee must have a reporting point farther than his/her old
reporting point and at least 30 miles between the current home and the new
reporting point and at least 30 miles between reporting points.
utuslc03 1797
038. Can you give some examples?
A38. The following examples would be applicable.-
Example 1: Employee A lives 80 miles north of Salt Lake and works
a yard assignment at Salt Lake. As a result of the merger he/she is
assigned to a road switcher with an on duty point 20 miles north of
Salt Lake. Because his new reporting point is closer to his place of
residence no relocation benefits are allowable.
Example 2: Employee B lives 35 miles north of Salt Lake and goes
on duty at the UP yard office in Salt Lake. As a result of the merger
he/she goes on duty at the SP yard office which is six miles away. No
relocation benefits are allowable.
Example 3: Employee C lives in Elko and is unable to hold an
assignment at that location and places on an assignment at Salt
Lake. The employee meets the requirement for relocation benefit.
Example 4: Employee 0 lives in Salt Lake and can hold an
assignment in Salt Lake but elects to place on a Road Switcher 45
miles north of Salt Lake. Because the employee can hold in Saft
Lake no relocation benefits are allowable.
o39. Are there any restrictions on routing d traffic or combining assignments
after
implementation?
A39. There are no restrictions on the routing of traffic in the Salt Lake Hub once
the 30 day notice of implementation has lapsed. There will be a single
collective bargaining agreement and limitations that currently exist in that
agreement will govern (e.g. radius provisions for road switchem, roadlyard
moves etc.).However, none of these restrictions cover through freight
routing. The combining of assignments are covered in this agreement.
Article VIII · IMPLEMENTATION
040. On implementation will all trainmen be contacted concerning job placement?
A40. No, the implementation process will be phased in and employees will remain
on their assignment unless abolished or combined and then they may place
on another assignment or on a reserve board depending on their seniority
right. The new seniority rosters will be available for use by employees who
have a displacement.
041. How will the new extra boards be created?
A41. When the Carrier gives notice that the current extra boards are being
abolished and new ones created in accordance with the merger agreement,
the Carrier will advise the number of assignments for each extra board and
the effective date for the new extra board. The trainmen will have at least
ten days to make application to the new extra board and the dovetail roster
utuslc031797
will
be used for assignment to the Board. It is anticipated that the extra
boards will have additional trainmen added at first to help with the
familiarization process.
042. Will the Carrier transfer all surplus employees out of the Hub?
A42. No. The Carrier will retain some surplus to meet anticipated attrition and
growth, however, the number will be determined by the Carrier.
Q43. When wiirreserve boards be established and under what conditions will they
be governed?
A43. When reserve boards are established they will be governed by the current
reserve board agreement covering the UP Eastern District.
GENERAL
044. Do the listing of mileposts in Article I mean that those are the limits that
employees may work?
A44. No, the mile posts reflect a seniority district and in some cases assignments
that go on duty in the new seniority district will have away from home
terminals outside the seniority district which is common in many
interdivisional runs.
Q45. If the milepost is on the east end of YAfm0 can the crew perform any work
in the station of Yermo west of the mile post?
A45. Yes, Yermo is the away from home terminal and the crew may perform any
work that is permissible under the Eastern District collective bargaining
agreement as the crew does now under its current agreement. If a yard
assignment is established it will not be filled by employees from the Salt
Lake Hub
Q46. Will all pool freight be governed by the same rules?
A46. Yes, all pool freight will be governed by the UPED interdivisional rules, such
as but not limited to, initial terminal delay, overtime, $1.50 in lieu of eating
en route.
047. Will all employees be paid the same?
A47. No, the current rules differ between pre and post October 31. 1985
employees with regards to such items as entry rates, duplicate payments
and overtime. Since those are part of the National Agreements that
supersede local rules they will continue to apply as they have applied on the
UPED prior to the merger.
048. What will the miles paid be for the runs?
A48. Actual miles between terminals with a minimum of a basic day as determined
by the National Agreement.
utuslc0311797
MERGER IMPLEMENTING AGREEMENT
(Denver Hub)
between the
UNION PACIFIC/MISSOURI PACIFIC RAILROAD COMPANY
SOUTHERN PACIFIC TRANSPORTATION COMPANY
and the
UNITED TRANSPORTATION UNION
In Finance Docket No. 32760, the U.S. Department of Transportation, Surface
Transportation Board ("STB') approved the merger of the Union Pacific Corporation (*UPC,),
Union Pacific Railroad Company/Missouri Pacific Railroad Company (collectively referred to
as "UP') and Southern Pacific Rail Corporation, Southern Pacific Transportation Company
("SP'), St. Louis Southwestern Railway Company ("SSW ), SPCSL Corp., and The Denver
& Rio Grande Western Railroad Company ("DRGW) (collectively referred to as "SP'). In
approving this transaction, the STB imposed New York Dock labor protective conditions.
In order to achieve the benefits of operational changes made possible by the
transaction, to consolidate the seniority of all employees working in the territory covered by
this Agreement into one common seniority district covered under a single, common collective
bargaining agreement,
IT IS AGREED:
I.
Denver Hub
A new seniority district shall be created that encompasses the following area: UP
milepost 429.7 at Sharon Springs, Kansas; UP milepost 511.0 at Cheyenne, Wyoming ;
DRGW milepost 451.7 at Grand Junction, Colorado and milepost 251.7 at Alamosa,
Colorado; SSW milepost 545.4 at Dalhart, Texas and UP milepost 732.1 at Horace, Kansas
and all stations, branch lines, industrial leads and main line between the points identified.
Seniori and Work Consolidation
.
The following seniority consolidations will be made:
A. A new seniority district will be formed and master Seniority Rosters, UP/UTU
Denver Hub,
vnll
be created for the employees working as Conductors, Brakemen, yardmen
(the term yardman shall, in this agreement, refer to all yard positions including foreman,
helper, utility man, herder and switch tender) and Firemen in the Denver Hub on November
utuden03 1797
1,
1996. (The term "trainmen" is used hereafter as a generic term to include all UTU-C,TBY
represented employees and where applicable all UTU-E represented employees). The four
new rosters
will
be created as follows:
1. SwitchmeNbrakemen placed on these rosters will be dovetailed based upon
the employee's current seniority date. If this process results in employees having
identical seniority-dates, seniority will. be determined by the employee's current hire
date with the Carrier.
2. Conductors placed on these rosters will be dovetailed based upon the
employee's actual promotion date into the craft. If this process results in employees
having identical seniority dates, seniority will be determined by the employee's current
hire date with the Carrier.
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Rights to Zones, Exam to assumes only has 5 people on roster
Name Roster Zone 1 Zone = Zone a
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3. All employees placed on the roster may work all assignments protected by
the roster in accordance with their seniority and the provisions set forth in this
Agreement.
4. New employees hired and placed on the new rosters on or after November
1, 1996, will have no prior rights but will have roster seniority rights in accordance
with the zone and extra board provisions set forth in this Agreement.
B. The new UP/UTU seniority districts will be divided into the following three (3)
Zones:
utuden03 1797
1. Zone 1 will include Denver east to but not including Sharon Springs and the
Oakley extra board, Denver north to but not including Cheyenne, Denver west to
and including Bond and Axial, Pueblo east to Horace, and all road and yard
operations within the Denver Terminal including any road switchers at Colorado
Springs.
Note: The Oakley extra board is part of the Denver Hub and
assignments at Oakley will be filled by the Denver Hub. The
reference to Sharon Springs is for pool freight service and the work
normally protected by the oakley extra board shall continue as part of
the Denver Hub.
2. Zone 2
will
include Grand Junction to Denver (long pool only), Grand
Junction to Montrose, Oliver, Mintum (not including Mintum helper service) and
Bond and yard assignments.
3. Zone 3 will include Pueblo to Denver, South Fork, Mintum and to Dalhart not
including Dalhart, but including Mintum helper service and yard assignments.
4. Road, road/yard or yard extra boards will not be part of any zone if they
cover assignments in more than one zone. Extra boards that cover assignments
in only one zone
will
be governed by zone rules and the current rules of the
collective bargaining agreement for this Hub.
C. Trainmen initially assigned to the new rosters will be accorded prior rights
to one of the three zones based on the following:
1. Zone 1 -Trainmen assigned to rosters on the former Union Pacific Eastern
District 12th District, MPUL Pueblo trainmen and DRGW employees working
positions within the points specified for this Zone on November 1, 1996.
2. Zone 2 -Trainmen assigned to rosters on the former DRGW, working
positions within the points specified for this Zone on November 1, 1996.
3. Zone 3 -Trainmen assigned to rosters on the former DRGW, working
positions within the points specified for this Zone on November 1, 1996.
D. Trainmen hired and assigned to the merged roster after implementation shall
be assigned to a zone, but without prior rights, based on the Carrier's determination of the
demands of service at that time in the Denver Hub.
E. The purpose of creating zones is twofold: First it is to provide seniority in an
area that an employee had some seniority prior to the merger, or contributed some work
after the merger, unless that trackage is abandoned, and thus preference to some of their
prior work over employees in other zones; Second to provide a defined area of trackage
and train operations that an employee can become familiar so as not to be daily covering
a multitude of different sections of track. As such the following will govem:
utuden031797
1. Trainmen will be allowed to make application for an assignment in a different
zone as vacancies arise. If reduced from the working list in their zone, trainmen
may exercise their common seniority in the remaining two zones.
2. Trainmen may not hold a reserve board outside their zone. The current
collective bargaining agreement is amended to provide for a reserve board for each
zone.
3. Trainmen with a seniority date prior to February 1, 1992 shall be permitted
to hold a reserve board in their zone. Trainmen holding a seniority date
subsequent to February 1, 1992 must be displaced prior to employees being
permitted to hold a reserve board position.
F. It is understood that certain runs home terminaled in the Denver Hub will
have away from home terminals outside the Hub and that certain runs home terminated
outside the Hub will have away from home terminals inside the Hub. Examples are Denver
to Cheyenne and Pueblo to Dalhart. It is not the intent of this agreement to create
seniority rights that interfere with these operations or to create double headed pools. For
example, Denver will continue to be the home terminal for Denver-Cheyenne runs and
Cheyenne will not have equity in these runs. The Denver-Rawtins run currently has no
employees assigned to it. If this operation is reestablished at a later date the current
Denver-Rawlina pool agreement will continue to apply with Denver as the home terminal.
G. All vacancies within the zones must be filled prior to any trainmen being
reduced from the working list or prior to trainmen being permitted to exercise to any
reserve board.
H. With the creation of the new seniority district all previous seniority outside
the Denver Hub held by trainmen on the new rosters shall be eliminated and all seniority
inside the Hub held by trainmen outside the Hub shall be eliminated.
I. Trainmen will be treated for vacation and payment of arbitraries as though
all their service on their original railroad had been performed on the merged railroad.
J. Trainmen who have been promoted to Engine service and hold engine
service seniority inside the Denver Hub and working therein on November 1, 1996, shall
be placed on the appropriate rosters) using their various trainmen seniority dates. Those
Engine service employees, if any, who do not have a train service date in the Denver Hub
shall be given one in accordance with the October 31, 1985.UTU National Agreement.
utuden031797
III.
Terminal Consolidations
The following terminal consolidations will be implemented in accordance with the
following provisions:
A.
Denver Terminal
1.
The existing switching limits at Denver will now include Denver Union
Terminal north to and including M.P. 6.24 and M.P. 6.43 on the Dent Branch,
south to and including M.P. 5.5, east to and including M.P. 635.10, and west
to and including M.P. 7.5. Yard crews currently perform service on the
Boulder Branch and they may continue to do so after implementation of this
agreement in accordance with existing agreements.
Note: The intent of this section is to combine the two Carriers
facilities into a common terminal and not to extend the switching limits
beyond the current established points.
2. All UP and SP operations within the greater Denver area shall be
consolidated into a unified terminal operation.
3. All road crews may receive/leave their trains at any location within the
boundaries of the new Denver terminal and may perform work anywhere
within those boundaries pursuant to the applicable collective bargaining
agreements. The Carrier will designate the oNoff duty points for road crews
with the on/off duty points having appropriate facilities for inclement weather
and other facilities as currently required in the collective bargaining
agreement.
4. All rail lines, yards, and/or sidings within the new Denver terminal will
be considered as common to all crews working in, into and out of Denver.
All crews will be permitted to perform all permissible road/yard moves
pursuant to the applicable collective bargaining agreements. Interchange
rules are not applicable for intra-carrier moves.
B.
General Conditions for Terminal Operations
1. Initial delay and final delay will be governed by the controlling
collective bargaining agreement, including the Duplicate Pay and Final
Terminal Delay provisions of the 1985 and 1991 National Awards and
implementing agreements.
utuden031797
2. Employees will be transported to/from their trains to/from their
designated on/off duty point in accordance with Article VIII, Section 1 of the
October 31, 1996 National Agreement.
3. The current application of National Agreement provisions regarding
road work and Hours of Service relief under the combined road/yard service
zone, shall continue to apply. Yard crews at Denver, Grand Junction and
Pueblo mayperform such service in all directions out of the terminal.
Note: Items 1 through 3 are not intended to expand or restrict
existing rules
IV.
Pool Operations.
A. The following pool consolidations may be implemented to achieve efficient
operations in the Denver Hub:
1. All Grand Junction-Denver/Bond and Grand Junction-Mintum pool
operations shall be combined into one pool with Grand Junction as the home
terminal. Denver may have one, two or three pools, DenverPhippsburg/Bond, Denver-Cheyenne, and Denver-Sharon Springs with the
Carrier determining whether to combine the pools. Short pool operations
when run shall be between Grand Junction-Bond and Denver-Bond.
2. All Pueblo-Denver and Pueblo-Dalhart pool operations shall be
combined into one pool with Pueblo as the home terminal. The PuebloAlamosa local shall remain separate but Pueblo-Alamosa traffic may be
combined with the Pueblo-Dalhart and Pueblo-Denver pool if future traffic
increases result in pool operations. The Pueblo-Mintum pool shall remain
separate until the number of pool turns drops below ten (10) due to the
cessation of service on portions of that line, at that time, the Carrier may
combine it with the remaining Pueblo pool. The Pueblo-Horace pool shall
remain separate until terminated with the abandonment of portions of that
line. The tri-weekly local provisions shall apply until abandonment of any
portion of the line east of Pueblo where Pueblo crews now operate.
3. Pool, local, road switcher and yard operations not covered in the
above originating at Grand Junction shall continue as traffic volumes
warrant.
4. Helper service at Mintum shall remain separate until terminated with
the cessation of service on portions of the line where the helpers operate.
5. Any pool freight, local, work train or road switcher service may be
established to operate from any point to any other point within the new
Seniority District with the on duty point within one of the zones.
utuden031797
6. The operations listed in A 1 -4 above, may be implemented separately,
in groups or collectively upon ten (10) days written notice from the Carrier
to the General Chairman. Implementation notices covering item (5) above,
shall be governed by applicable collective bargaining agreements.
7 Power plants between Denver and Pueblo may be serviced by either
Pueblo-Denver pool or the Denver Extra board or a combination thereof.
The Denver extra board shall be used first and if exhausted, the pool crew
will be used and deadheaded home after completion of service.
B. The terms and conditions of the pool operations set forth in Section A shall
be the same for all pool freight runs whether run as combined pools or separate pools.
The terms and conditions are those of the designated collective bargaining agreement as
modified by subsequent national agreements, awards and implementing documents and
those set forth below. The basic Interdivisional Service conditions shall apply to all pool
freight service. Each pool shall be paid the actual miles run for service and combination
service/deadhead with a minimum of a basic day.
1.
Twen -Five mile lone - At Grand Junction, Pueblo, Sharon Springs,
Denver, Cheyenne and Dalhart, pool crews may receive their train up to
twenty-five miles on the far side of the terminal and run on through to the
scheduled terminal. Crews shall be paid an additional one-half
(1/)
basic
day for this service in addition to the miles run between the two terminals.
If the time spent in this zone is greater than four (4) hours then they shall be
paid on a minute basis.
Example: A Pueblo-Denver crew receives their north bound train
ten miles south of the Pueblo terminal but within the 25 mile terminal
zone limits and runs to Denver. They shall be paid the actual miles
established for the Pueblo-Denver run and an additional one-half
basic day for handling the train from the point ten (10) miles south of
the Pueblo terminal.
2.
Turnaround Service/Hours of Service Relief - Except as provided
in (1) above, turnaround service and Hours of Service Relief at both home
and away from home terminals shall be handled by extra boards, if available,
prior to setting up other employees. Trainmen used for this service may be
used for multiple trips in one tour of duty in accordance with the designated
collective bargaining agreement rules. Extra boards may perform this
service in all directions out of their home terminal within the Hub.
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Note: Due to qualification issues at Minturn the pool crews
will
continue to perform Hours of Service relief at this location.
3. Nothing in this Section 8 (1) and (2) prevents the use of other
trainmen to perform work currently permitted by prevailing agreements.,
C.
Agreement Coverage - Employees working in the Denver Hub shall
be governed, in addition to the provisions of this Agreement, by the Agreement
between the Union Pacific Railroad Company and the UTU Union Pacific Eastern
District, both road and yard, including all addenda and side letter agreements
pertaining to that agreement, the 1996 National Agreement applicable to Union
Pacific and previous National Agreement/Award/Implementing Document provisions
still applicable. Except as specifically provided herein, the system and national
collective bargaining agreements, awards and interpretations shall prevail. None
of the provisions of these agreements are retroactive. Since most of the employees
have not worked under a daily preference system in the yard the employees shall
be governed by the regular application system for yard assignments and the daily
preference system shall not apply in the Denver Hub.
D. After implementation, the application process will be used to fill all
vacancies in the Hub as follows:
1. Prior right vacancies must first be filled by an employee with prior
rights to the vacancy who is on a reserve board prior to considering
applications from employees who do not have prior rights to the assignment
including those in other zones within the Denver Hub. A reserve board
employee will be recalled prior to considering applications from employees
who do not have prior rights to the assignment.
2. If there are no prior right employees on the reserve board covering
the vacant prior right assignment then the senior applicant without prior
rights to the vacancy will be assigned. If no applications are received then
the most junior employee on any of the other reserve boards will be
recalled and will take the assignment or displace a junior employee. If there
are no trainmen on any reserve board, then the senior furloughed trainman
in the Denver Hub shall be recalled to the vacancy. When forcing or
recalling, prior rights trainmen shall be forced or recalled to prior right
assignments prior to trainmen who do not have prior rights.
3. Non prior right vacancies will be filled by the senior applicant from the
dovetail roster. If no applicant then the junior employee on any reserve
board in the Hub shall be recalled to the vacancy in accordance with the
provisions of the UPED reserve board agreement.
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V.
EXTRA BOARDS
A. The following road/yard extra boards may be established to protect
trainmen assignments as follows:
1. Denver - One conductor and one brakeman/switchman (total of 2)
extra boards to protect the Denver-Cheyenne, Denver-Sharon Springs and
Denver-Phippsburg and Denver-Bond pools, the Denver yard assignments
and all road switchers, locals and work trains originating within these
territories and extra service to any power plant and other extra board work.
2. Pueblo - One conductor and one brakeman/switchman (total of 2)
extra boards to protect the Pueblo-Denver, Pueblo- Alamosa, PuebloMintum and Pueblo-Dalhart pool operations, Pueblo Yard assignments and
all road switchers, locals and work trains and other extra board work
originating within the these territories. The MPUI- extra board shall remain
separate and shall be phased out with the Pueblo-Horace pool operations.
3. Grand Junction - One conductor and one brakeman/switchman
(total of 2) extra boards to protect Grand Junction-Denver, Grand JunctionBond and Grand Junction-Minturn pool(s), Grand Junction yard, road
switcher, local and work train assignments and other extra board work
originating within these territories. Since the extra board at Grand Junction
is at a point joining two hubs, it may protect work up to but not including
Helper, Utah.
Note: At each of the above locations the Carrier may operate more
than these extra boards. When more than these extra board is operated the
Carrier shall notify the General Chairman what area each extra board shall
cover. When combining extra boards the Carrier shall give ten (10) days
written notice.
B. The Carrier may establish extra boards at outside points to meet the
needs of service pursuant to the designated collective bargaining agreement
provisions. Extra boards at outside points such as Phippsburg may continue.
C. At any location where both UP and DRGW extra boards exist the
Carrier may combine these boards into one board. If at any location there are less
than three yard assignments then the extra boards referred to in A, B or C above
shall be combined into a single Conductor/brakemen/switchmen extra board.
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VI.
PROTECTION
The Surface Transportation Board has stated that adversely affected
employees shall be covered by New York Dock protection.
VII.
HEALTH AND WELFARE
Employees not previously covered by the UPED agreement shall have 60
days to join the Union Pacific Hospital Association in accordance with that
agreement.
VIII.
IMPLEMENTATION
A. The Parties have entered into this agreement to implement the merger
of the Union Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Railroad operations in the area
covered by Notice Ii9W and any amended notices thereto.
In addition, the Parties understand that the overall operational
implementation is being phased in to accommodate the cut over of computer
operations, dispatching, track improvements and clerical support.
B. The Carrier shall give thirty (30) days written notice for implementation
of this agreement and the number of initial positions that will be changed in the
Hub. Employees whose assignments are changed shall be permitted to exercise
their new seniority. After the initial implementation the 10 day provisions of Article
IV(A)(6) and Article V(A) (note) shall govern.
C. Prior to movement to reserve boards or transfers outside the Hub,
it will be necessary to fill all positions in the Denver Hub..
D. In an effort to provide for employees to follow their work to areas
outside the Denver Hub, the Carrier shall advertise vacancies at locations outside
the Hub for a period of one year from the implementation date, as long as a surplus
of trainmen exist in the Hub, for employees to make application. The dovetail roster
shall be used for determining the senior applicant. Should an insufficient number
of applications be received then the junior surplus employee shall be forced to the
vacancy. Employees who move by application or force shall establish new seniority
and relinquish seniority in the Hub.
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CREW CONSIST.
A. Upon implementation of this agreement (award) all crew consist
productivity funds that cover employees in the Hub shall be frozen pending payment
of the shares to the employees both inside the Hub and Outside the Hub. A new
productivity fund shall be created on implementation day that will cover those
employees in the Denver Hub and the funds that cover employees outside the Hub
shall continue for the employees who remain outside the Hub. The Denver Hub
employees shall have no interest or share in payments made to those funds after
implementation date.
B. Payments into the new productivity fund shall be made in compliance
with the UPED crew consist agreement. Those employees who would have
participated in the shares of the productivity funds had they originally been hired
on the UP Eastern District shall be eligible to participate in the distribution of the
new fund except as stated in (D) below.
C. Employees who would have been covered under the UPED special
allowance provisions had they been hired originally on the UP Eastern District shall
be entitled to a special allowance under those provisions except as stated in (D)
below.
D. Those employees who sold their special allowances/productivity funds
previousiy are not entitled to those payments under this agreement (award).
E. - While the UPED crew consist agreement
will
govern this Hub the
Carrier is not required to place yardmenlbrakemen on any local, road switcher, yard
or other assignment anywhere in the Hub that is was not required to use under the
least restrictive crew consist agreement that previously existed in either the Salt
Lake or Denver Hub.
X.
Familiarization
A. Employees will not be required to lose time or "ride the road' on their
own time in order to qualify for the new operations. Employees will be provided with
a sufficient number of familiarization trips in order to become familiar with the new
territory. Issues concerning individual qualifications shall be handled with local
operating officers. The parties recognize that different terrain and train tonnage
impact the number of trips necessary and the operating officer assigned to the
merger will work with the local Managers of operating practices and local chairmen
in implementing this section.
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XI.
Firemen.
.A. This agreement also covers firemen. Pre-October 31, 1985 firemen
will
only have seniority in the Denver Hub and if unable to work an engineer's
assignment or a mandatory firemen'slhostler position they shall be permitted to hold
a fireman's position first in their prior rights zone and second, using their dovetail
seniority. -
B. Post October 31, 1985 firemen shall continue to be restricted to
mandatory assignments and if unable to hold an engine service position will be
required to exercise their train service seniority in the Hub.
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QULU
IONS A ANSWERS -UTIr DENVER HUB
Article I - DENVER HUB
01. Does the new seniority district change terminal limits at the mile posts
indicated?
No. It is the intent of this agreement to identify the new seniority territory and
not to change the existing terminal limits except as specifically provided
elsewhere in this agreement.
02. Which Hub is Grand Junction in?
A2. For seniority purposes trainmen are in the Denver Hub, however due to the
unique nature of Grand Junction being a home terminal for one Hub and away
from home for another Hub, the extra board may perform service on both sides
of Grand Junction.
Article II - SENIORITY AND WORK CONSOUOATION
Q3. What is the status of an employee who placed in the Hub after November 1,
1996 but prior to the implementation of this Award?
They shall be placed on the roster using their dovetail date but they shall not
have any prior rights.
A3.
04.
A4.
What happens. it employees still have the same seniority date based on the
current hire date?
The UPED agreement has a provision for determining the seniority date under
these conditions and that agreement will govern.
05. Why do the zones appear to overlap?
A5. Zones indicate a given area depending on the on duty point of an assignment.
For example, for long pool service, Grand Junction is the proper zone for
Grand Junction- Denver service. For short pool service Grand Junction is the
zone for going to Bond and Denver is the proper zone for going Denver-Bona
Q6. In Article II(G), what does it mean when it refers to protecting all vacancies
within a zone?
A6. If a vacancy exists in a zone, it must be filled by a prior rights employee poor
to plating employees on reserve boards. If a non prior rights employee is
wortdng in a zone then a prior rights employee must displace that person prior
to going to a reserve board. If a vacancy exists in one zone and an employee
in another zone is on a reserve board that person will be recalled prior to the
Carrier hiring additional trainmen.
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07.
A7.
Q8.
A8.
09.
A9.
Will existing pool freight terms and conditions apply on all pool freight runs?
No. The terms and conditions set forth in the controlling collective
bargaining agreement and this document will govern.
Will an employee gain or lose vacation benefits as a result of the merger?
No.
When the agreement is implemented, which vacation agreement will apply?
The vacation agreements used to schedule vacations for 1997
will
be used for
the remainder of 1997. Thereafter the UPED agreement will govern.
Q10. What is the status of firemen's seniority?
A10. Firemen seniority will be dovetailed in a similar manner as trainmen.
Article III - TERMINAL CONSOLIDATIONS
011. If a yard job goes on duty in the previous UP yard what are the switching limits
for performing work in the road/yard zone west of Denver?
A11. DRGW M.P. 7.5 will be used for all yard crows on duty in Denver.
Article IV - POOL OPERATIONS
Q12. If the on duty point for the Denver-Cheyenne pool is moved from Denver
Union Terminal to the DRGW Yard, will the mileage paid be increased?
A12. Yes. The mileage will be from the center of DRGW Yard to Cheyenne.
Q13. In Article IV A 8 how would other operations be established?
A13. The controlling collective bargaining agreements would govern. For example
ID service would be covered under Article IX of the 1985 National Agreement,
road switchers can be established at any location under the local road switcher
agreement.
Q14. In Article IV(8) Section 3 provides that the Carrier has the right to perform work
currently permitted by other agreements, can you give some examples?
A14. Yes, yard crews are currently permitted to perform hours of service relief in the
road/yard zone established in the National Agreement, ID crews may perform
combination deadhead/service and road switchers may handle trains that are
laid down in their zone.
Q15. If a crew in the 25 mile zone is delayed in bringing the train into the original
terminal so that it does not have time to go on to the tar terminal, what will
happen to the crew?
A15. Except in cases of emergency, the crew will be deadheaded on to the far
terminal.
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Q16.
Is
it the intent of this agreement to use crews beyond the 25 mile zone?
A16. No.
A17.
Q17. In Article IV(B), is the Y= basic day for operating in the 25 mile zone frozen
and/or is it a duplicate payment/special allowance?
No, it is subject to future wage adjustments and it is not duplicate pay/special
allowance.
018, How is a crew paid if they operate in the 25 mile zone?
A18. If a pre-October 31, 1985 trainman is transported to its train 10 miles east of
Sharon Springs and he takes the train to Denver and the time spent is one
hour east of Sharon Springs and 9 hours 24 minutes between Sharon Springs
and Denver with no initial or final delay earned, the employee shall be paid as
follows:
A. One-half basic day for the service east of Sharon Springs
because it is less than four hours spent in that service.
B. The road miles between Sharon Springs and Denver.
C. One hour overtime because the agreement provides for overtime
after 8 hours 24 minutes on the road trip between Sharon
Springs and Denver. ( 210 miles divided by 25 = 8'24'
019. Would a post October 31, 1985 trainman be paid the same?
A19. No. The National Disputes Committee has determined that post October 31,
1985 trainmen come under the overtime rules established under the National
Agreements/Awards/Implementing Agreements that were effective after that
date for both pre-existing runs and subsequently established runs. As such,
the post October 31, 1985 trainman would not receive the one hour overtime
in C above but receive the payments in A 8 8.
020. How will initial terminal delay be determined when operating in the Zone?
A20. Initial terminal delay for crews entitled to such payments will be governed by
the applicable collective bargaining agreement and will not commence when
the crew operates back through the on duty point. Operation back through the
on duty point shall be considered as operating through an intermediate point.
021. When the UPED agreement becomes effective what happens to existing
DRGW/MPUL claims?
A21. The existing claims shall continue to be handled in accordance with the
DRGWIMPUL Agreements and the Railway Labs AC. No new claims shall be
filed under that agreement once the time limit for filing claims has expired.
022. Is the identification of the UPED collective bargaining agreement in ArtiGe IVm
a result of collective bargaining or selection by the Carrier?
A22. Since UP purchased the SP system the Carrier selected the collective
bargaining agreement to cover this Hub.
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023. In Article IV (D), if no applications are received for a vacancy on a prior
rights assignment, does the prior right trainman called to fill the vacancy
have the right to displace a junior trainman from another assignment?
A23. Yes. That trainman has the option of exercising his/her seniority to another
position held by a junior employee, within the time frame specified in the
controlling collective bargaining agreement, or accepting the force to the
vacancy.
Article V - EXTRA BOARDS
024. How many extra boards will be combined at implementation?
A24. It is unknown at this time. The Canter will give written notice of any
consolidations whether at implementation or thereafter.
025. Are these guaranteed extra boards?
A25. Yes. The pay provisions and guarantee offsets and reductions will be in
accordance with the existing UPED guaranteed extra board agreement.
ARTICLE VI - PROTECTION
028. What is loss on sale of home for less than fair value?
A28. This refers to the loss on the value of the home that results from the carrier
implementing this merger transaction. In many locations the impact of the
merger may not affect the value of a home and in some locations the merger
may affect the value of a home.
027. If the parties cannot agree on the loss of fair value what happens?
A27. New York Dock Article I Section 12 (d) provides for a panel of real estate
appraisers to determine the value before the merger announcement and the
value after the merger transaction.
028. What happens if an employee sells a $50,000 home for $20,000 to a family
member'?
A28. That is not a bona fide sale and the employee would not be entitled to a New
York Dock payment for the difference below the fair value.
029. What is the most difficult part of New York Dock in the sale transaction?
A29. Determine the value of the home before the merger transaction. While this can
be done through the usa of professional appraisers, many people think their
home is valued at a different amount.
030. Who is required to relocate and is thus eligible for the New York Dock benefit?
A30. An employee who can no longer hold a position at his/her location and must
relocate to hold a position as a result of the merger. This excludes employees
who are borrow outs or forced to a location and released.
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031. Are there mileage components that govern the eligibility for an allowance?
A31. Yes, the employee must have a reporting point farther than his/her old reporting
point and at least 30 miles between the current home and the new reporting
point and at least 30 miles between reporting points.
032. Can you give some examples?
A32. The following examples would be applicable.
Example 1: Employee A lives 80 miles north of Denver and works a yard
assignment at Denver. As a result of the merger he/she is assigned to a road
switcher with an on duty point 20 miles north of Denver. Because his new
reporting point is closer to his place of residence no relocation benefits are
allowable.
Example 2: Employee B lives 35 miles north of Denver and goes on duty at
the UP yard office in Denver. As a result of the merger he/she goes on duty
at the ORGW yard office which is four miles away. No relocation benefits are
allowable.
Example 3: Employee C lives in Pueblo and is unable to hold an assignment
at that location and is placed in Zone 1, where a shortage exists, and places
on an assignment at Denver. The employee meets the requirement for
relocations benefits.
Example 4: Employee 0 lives in Denver and can hold an assignment in
Denver but elects to place on a Road Switcher 45 miles north of Denver.
Because the employee can hold in Denver, no relocation benefits are
allowable.
Article VII-HEALTH AND WELFARE
Q33. Must employees not covered under the UP Hospital Association join after the
merger?
A33. Yes because it is part of the UPED UTU collective bargaining agreement.
Article VIII - IMPLEMENTATION
034. Are there any restrictions on routing of traffic or combining assignments after
implementation?
A34. There are no restrictions on the routing of traffic in the Denver Hub once the
30 day notice of implementation has lapsed. There will be a single collective
bargaining agreement and limitations that currently exist in that agreement will
govern, e.g., radius provisions for road switchers, roadlyard moves etc.
However, none of these restrictions cover through freight routing. The
combining of assignments is covered in this agreement.
utuden031797
035. On implementation will all trainmen be contacted concerning job placement?
A35. No, the implementation process will be phased in and employees will remain
on their assignments unless abolished or combined and then they may place
on another assignment or on the protection board depending on surplus. see
Article VIII(B). The new seniority rosters will be available for use by employees
who have a displacement.
Q36. How will the new extra boards be Created?
A36. When the Carrier gives notice that the current extra boards are being
abolished and new ones created in accordance with the merger agreement,
the Carrier will advise the number of assignments for each extra board and
the effective date for the new extra board. The employees will have at least
ten days to make application to the new extra board and the dovetail roster
will be used for assignment to the Board. It is anticipated that the extra
boards will have additional engineers added at first to help with the
familiarization process.
037. Will the Carrier transfer all surplus employees out of the Hub?
A37. No. The Carrier will retain some surplus to meet anticipated attrition and
growth, however, the number will be determined by the Carrier.
Q38. When will reserve boards be established and under what conditions will they
be governed?
A38. They will be established in each zone at implementation. When reserve boards
are established, they will be governed by the current agreement covering the
UFED trainman at Denver.
Article IX- CREW CONSIST
Q39. When this award is implemented will the productivity funds be paid out at
that time?
A39. No, the number of credits that each employee, who will be in the Hub, has
earned will be determined and frozen for the pre-existing fund. They will
then start eaming credits in the new fund. Those employees not in the Hub
will continue to earn credits in their old fund.
GENERAL
040. Do the listing of mileposts in Article I mean that those are the limits that
employees may work?
A40. No, the mile posts reflect a seniority district and in some cases assignments
that go on duty in the new seniority district will have away from home
terminals outside the seniority district
which is common
in many
interdivisional runs.
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Q41. If the milepost is on the west end of Sharon Springs can the crew perform
any work in the station of Sharon Springs east of the mile post?
A41. Yes, Sharon Springs is the away from home terminal and the crew may
perform-any work that is permissible under the Eastern District collective
bargaining agreement. If a yard assignment is established it will not be filled
by employees from the Denver Hub
Q42. Will all pool freight be governed by the same rules?
A42. Yes, all pool freight will be governed by the UPED interdivisional rules, such
as but not limited to, initial terminal delay, overtime, $1.50 in lieu of eating
en route.
043. Will all employees be paid the same?
A43. No, the current rules differ between pre and post October 31, 1985
employees with regards to such items as duplicate payments and overtime.
Since those are part of the National Agreements that supersede local rules
they will continue to apply as they have applied on the UPED prior to the
merger.
Q44. What will the miles paid be for the runs?
A44. Actual miles between terminals with a minimum of a basic day as determined
by the National Agreement.
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SERVICE DATE - LATE RELEASE JUNE =6, 1997
SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD
DECISION
STB Finance Docket No. 32760 (Sub-No. 22)
UNION PACIFIC CORPORATION, UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD COMPANY AND
NUSSOURI PACIFIC RAILROAD COMPANY
-CONTROL AND MERGER
SOUTHERN PACIFIC TRANSPORTATION COIv1PANY, ST. LOUIS SOUTHWESTERN
RAILWAY COMPANY, SPCSL CORP. AND
THE DENVER AND RIO GRANDE WESTERN RAILROAD COIeANY
(Arbitration Review)
Decided: June 26, 1997
We grant the petition of the United Transportation Union (UTU) for review of the
arbitration decision issued by lama E. Yost a it pertains to health benefits and decline to review
the decision concerning the remaining issues raised by UTU.
BACKGROUND
By decision served August 12, 1996, in Fuunue Docket No. 32760 (the Merger
Proceeo'htg~ we approved the common control and merger of the rail carriers controlled by the
Union Pacific Corporation and the rail carriers controlled by the Southern Pacific Rail
Corporation. The controlling operating railroad is now the Union Pacific Railroad Company (UP
or the carrier), the respondent in this procesding. In our decision approving the control and
merger appHation, we imposed the employee protection conditions established in New York Dock
Ry.-ConvW-Brooklyn FAstern Dirt, 360 I.C.C. 60, 84-90 (1979) (New YorkDock), aff'd sub
noon. New York Dock Ry. v. United Am 609 F.2d 83 (2d Cit. 1979).
Under New York Dock, labor changes related ro approved trartsacxiom are effected
through implementing agreements negotiated before the changes occur. If the parties cannot
agree, the issues arc resolved by arbiaation, with possible appeal to the Board under its
deferential Lace Curran standard of review.' Affected employee receive comprehensive
displacement and termination benefits for up to 6 years.
' Under 49 CFR 1115.8, the standard for review is provided in Chicago dr North Western
TPot Ca Aboralorman~ 3 LC.C.2d 729 (1987), atf'd sub none International Brodrrlwod of
Electrical Workers v. LC.G, 862 F.2d 330 (D.C. Cit. 1988) (popularly known as the 'face
Curtain' ace). Under the Lace Curran standard, the Board does not review "isnus of
causation, the calculation of benefit:, or tire resohnion of other fttetual questions" in the absence
of "egregious error." Id at 735-36. In Delawmr and Hudson
Pmhroy
Company-Lease and
Trackagt Rights Esempnon-Spnrtg field Terminal PwAwoy Cornpmry, Fmaoes Docket No.
30965 (Sub-No. 1)
of
oL (ICC served On.. 4, 1990) at 16-17, remmWrd on odv grourdr in
Rauhvay
Labor Eucvaver' Ass
n
v. United States, 987 F. 2d 806 (D. C. Cit. 1993), the Interstate
Commerce Commission (ICC) elaborated on tie Lace Curtain standard a follows:
Once having accepted a case for review, we may only overturn an arbitrai award
when it is shown that the award is irrational or fails to draw its essence from the
imposed labor conditions or it exceeds the authority reposed in arbitrators by those
conditions. [Citations omitted.]
STB Finance Docket No ;='60 (Sub-`o ==)
Here, the parties were usable to reach an implementing agreement on iabor changes
covering two geographical areas. referred to by UP a the "Salt Lake Hub" and the "Denver
Hub." When the parties could not agree. the dispute was taken to arbitration. On .April 11. 1997,
arbitrator James E. Yost issued his decision. The decision adopted the two implementing
arrangements proposed by the camer. with exceptions that have not been appealed by the carver.
The arbitrator found that the implementing provisions adopted in his decision were -necessarv to
effect the STB's approved consolidation and yield enhanced efficiency in operations benefiting
the general public and the employees of the merged operations."
On May 5. 1997, UTU filed an appeal of the arbitrator's decision. UTU also requested a
stay of the decision pending our review.' On May 21. 1997, UTU filed a motion for leave to
submit a supplement to its petition for review and a tendered supplemental petition. UP filed a
reply in opposition to admission of UTU's tendered supplement on May 23, 1997. UP tiled its
reply in opposition to UTU's appeal on May 27, 1997.
PRELIMINARY MATTER
In its motion for leave to supplement its petition. UTU submits two UP notices
scheduling implementation of the award, which were sent to UTU on May 1, 1997. We will
consider these notices because they provide material that was not available to UTU until shortly
before the deadline for submission of in appeal and UP does not object.
UP does object to consideration of the remaining content of UTU's tendered supplement
to in petition, arguing that UTU is not entitled to file 'yet another brief on the merits." We
agree. Under 49 CFR 1115.8. UTU is entitled to file only one appeal pleading. Moreover.
UTU's supplement essentially constitutes repetitive and cumulative argument.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS
UTU raises four issues in in appeal: (a) whether it was proper for the arbitrator to
include language in his decision regarding representation during fume negotiations; (b) whether
the arbitrator properly approved provisions allowing the carrier to merge seniority districts and to
force employees to switch seniority districts; (c) whether the arbitrator's approval of the current
UP Eastern District Agreement as the uniform collective bargaining agreement for the affected
employees (replacing the separate pre-consolidation agreements) was proper, and (d) whether the
arbitrator properly approved the provisions in the implementing arrangements requiring
employees m switch health care providem
= By decisions served May 30. 1997, and June 10. 1997, implementation of the
arbitrator's decision was stayed. with the latter stay running until July 1, 1997. The Brotherhood
of Locomotive Engineers, on June 19, 1997, filed in opposition to the grant of a further stay. On
the same date, UP filed a petition to vacate the stay. Given our decision here resolving the merits
of the petition for review, the relief sought in these two pleadings has become moot. Moreover.
both BLE and UP could have, and indeed should have. made the arguments contained in these
pleadings in response to the initial stay request rather than some 45 days afterwards. Further, we
find incredible the claim by UP now that a less than 30-day stay of the implementation of the
subject arbitral award has materially disrupted the implementation of the underlying merger, our
approval of which has been in effect since September 11, 19%. And we continue to expect UP
to submit an in-depth analysis of the effects of the merger and condition implementation in its
July 1, 1997 quarterly progress report on the underlying merger. Because we are resolving the
merits of the petition for review, however, we will vacate the stay as of the service date of this
decision.
I. UP's Allegation of Waiver
STB Finance Docket No. =60iSuo-Rio _=)
Before we discuss these issues, we must consider L'P's contention that UTU waived
consideration of them for the Denver Hub. During arbitration. UTU submitted a separate
implementation proposal concerning the Salt Lake Hub but did not submit a separate proposal for
the Denver Hub. Tlte carrier argues that, by not making its own proposal concerning the Denver
Hub. UTU waived its right to raise any of the aforementioned four issues on appeal as they apply
to that Hub.
We disagree. A parry can waive its objections only by failing to make them below. UTU
did not fail to make objections below concerning the Denver Hub. In its subrtusston. UTU
phrased its criticism of UP in general terms that applied equally to the changes proposed by UP
for both hubs, which changes were virtually identical. There was nothing in UN's overall
submission to indicate that UTU did not object to the changes proposed by the camer for the
Denver Hub. UTU's submission put the arbitrator on notice that UTU believed that certain
changes proposed by UP were improper under New York Dock for both hubs. The arbitrator
must have been on notice as to the scope of UTU's objections because he rejected
implementation provisions proposed by the carrier for both hubs. not just the Salt Lake Hub.
Because the record shows that UTU did object to the carrier's Denver Hub proposals. we
conclude that UTU has not waived all arguments for the Denver Hub simply by not submining its
own separate proposal for that Hub.
Il. The Issues Appealed by UTU
As explained in greater detail below. only one issue - whether the arbitrator property
approved the provisions in the implementing arrangements requiring employees to switch health
care providers - satisfies the criteria for review by us under our
Lace Curtain
standard of
review. The health care issue is reviewable because it involves an allegation that the arbitrator's
decision exceeds the authority entrusted to him under our
New York Dock
labor conditions. The
issue involving language pertaining to union representation during future negotiations is moot to
light of our interpretation of the arbitrator's decision. The issues involving the necessity of
seniority district changes and the consolidation of collective bargaining agreements are the son of
matters chat have histotieally been decided by arbitrators under the Washington Job Protection
Agreement of May 1976 and subsequently undo our labor protective conditions on which, with
the approval of the courts. we have traditionally deferred to arbitrators in the absence of
egregious ear. CSX Corp.
-Control-Chessie and Seaboard C. L.L.
6 I.C.C.2d 715 (1990).
A. Repeamtation During Future Negotiations
The arbitrator's decision stated (at 4 and 5) that, if there are to be future negotiations, they
should be between the "Fasten District General Chairman" and the carrier. UTU asserts that any
future negotiations must be between "UTU" and the carrier. arguing that only UTU, as the
current bargaining representative of the affected employees, has the authonty to direct the carver
to the persons with whom the carrier must negotiate.
We do not interpret the decision as interfering with UTU's right to designate its own
representative for future bargaining over issues affecting the Hubs. UTU has selected the UP
Eastern District General Chairman to bargain for employees who come under the UP Eastern
District Agreement' The arbitrator imposed the UP Eastern District Agreement When the
arbitrator referred to possible future negotiations as being between the carrier and the Eastern
District General Chairman, he can not attempting to lock UTU into this choice of a bargaining
representative bun was merely referring to the person whom UTU itself had designated to
represent in members as being best able to discuss with management what various provisions
mean. His suggestion was limited to the implementing agreement process and was not made any
' Declaration of W. Scott Hinckley, filed May 27, 1997, at 5-6.
STB Finance Docket No. 3?760iSub-No._=)
part of the award we are asked to review Plainly, the arbitrator did not purport to. nor could he,
dictate representation for future bargaining purposes. Our interpretation moots UTU's appeal
concerning this issue.
B. Changes to Senuonry Districts'
UTU objects to the general provisions of the implementing arrangements approved by the
arbitrator that allow the carrier to alter seniority districts and to force employees within the new
hubs to move to different senionry districts. The implementing arrangements also contain
special provisions that, in conjunction with the aforementioned general provisions, specifically
allow the carrier to make seniority district changes for firemen, and UTU specifically objects to
these provisions as well. UTU argues that all of these provisions contravene New York Dock by
overriding collective bargaining agreement provisions' when an override is not necessary to
realize die public benefits of the consolidation.
It is now firmly established that the Board, or arbitrators acting pursuant to authority
delegated to them under New York Dock, may override provisions of collective bargaining
agreements when an override is necessary for realization of the public benefits of approved
transactions. Where modification has been necessary, it has been approved under either former
sections 11341(a) [recodified in section 11321(a)] or 11347 [recodified in section l 1326(a)].
Norfolk & Western v American Train Dispatchers, 499 U.S. 117 (1991); Railway Labor
Executives' Assn v. United States, 987 F.2d 806 (D.C. Cir. 1993) (RLEA);American Train
Dispatchers Association v. LCC, 26 F.3d 1157 (D.C. Cir. 1994) (ATDA); and
United
Transportation Union v. Surface Transportation Board 108 F.3d 1425 (D.C. Cit. 1997) (UTU).
In RLEA, 987 F.2d at 814-15. the court elaborated on the necessity test, as follows:
[I]t is clear that the Commission may not modify a CBA willy-nilly: § t 1347
requires that the Commission provide a "fair arrangement." The Commission
itself has stated that it may modify a collective bargaining agreement under §
11347 only as "necessary" to effectuate a covered transaction. [Citation omitted.]
.. We look therefore to the purpose for which the ICC has been given this
authority (to approve consolidations). That purpose is presumably to secure to the
public some transportation benefit that would not be available if the CBA were
left in place, not merely to transfer wealth from employees to their employer ....
In other words, the court's standard is whether the change is necessary to effect a public benefit
of the transaction.
As noted, the arbitrator found that the consolidation was "necessary to effect the STB's
approved consolidation and yield enhanced efficiency in operations benefirting the general public
and the employees of the merged operations." This was a factual fording to which we must
accord deference to the arbitrator under our Lace Curtain standard of review. Under our Lace
Curtain standard of review, such factual findings are reviewed only if the arbitrator committed
egregious error. Because UTU has failed to make the required showing, applying the Lace
Curtain standard of review, we decline to review this fording.
' Due to the nature of work in the railroad industry, operating employees are assigned to
"seniority districts," which are lists of employed who are eligible to work in a given craft or
operation in a defined geographical area, such as a hub. The order in which employees appear on
these lists determines various employment rights.
' Except for the firemen, UTU does not cite or provide the specific collective bargaining
agreement provisions that are alleged to be contravened by the provisions of the implementing
arrangements that allow mandatory switching of seniority districts. For the firemen. UTU cites
language in Article )GIL section l(7) of the October 31. 1985 UTU National Agreement.
STB Finance Docket
No.
3=,'60 (Sub-No -=1
C. Uniform Collective Bargaining .agreement
UTU challenges the arbitrator's decision to allow (,'P to select its collective bargaining
agreement for the Eastern Distnct as the uniform collective bargaining agreement that will apply
to the affected employees (replacing the separate pre-consolidation agreements) -%s noted in our
discussion of the changes in seniority districts, it is now Firmly established that the Board (or
arbitrators acting under.Vew York
Dock) may
override provisions of collective bargaining
agreements when an override is necessary for realization of the public benefits of approved
transactions. Here, the arbitrator found that application of a uniform collective bargaining
agreement was also among the changes that were necessary to effect the STB's approved
consolidation and yield enhanced efficiency in operations benetitting the general public and the
employees of the merged operanons. This was a factual finding to which we must accord
deference to the arbitrator under our Lace Curtain standard of review. Again. under our Lace
Curtain standard of review, such factual findings arc reviewed only if the arbitrator committed
egregious error.
UTU itself admits that there are circumstances in which collective bargaining agreements
may be merged to effect the goals of mergers, stating on page 29 of its submission to the
arbitrator: "The Organization has continually recognized where there is a coordination. a fusion
of collective bargaining agreements
a
necessary." Here, the necessity for the merger of
bargaining agreements is supported by the number of collective bargaining agreements alone that
were in effect before the merger- before. the merger, the Salt Lake Hub consisted of six
collective bargaining agreements, and the Denver Hub consisted of three collective bargaining
agreements.' The arbitrator could reasonably find that UP cannot effectively manage employees
in a merged and coordinated operation if the operation must be burdened with six collective
bargaining agreements, each with
is
own set of work rules. Our predecessor agency has
previously upheld the consolidation of collective bargaining agreements.' Under these
circumstances, UTU bears a heavy burden in attempting to show that the consolidation of
collective bargaining agreements in the Hubs was egregious error. We find that tlTU has failed
to meet in burden of showing that the arbitrator committed egregious error in approving the
consolidation of collective bargaining agreements in the Hubs.
L77J also seems to argue that the arbitrator erred by failing to apply the predominate
collective bargaining agreements in the respective Hubs.' We disagree. UTU has submitted no
' Declaration of W. Scott Hinckley, filed May 27, 1997, at 5.
' In Norfolk and Western Railway Company, Southern Railway Company and Interstate
Railway Company-Eumptiorr-.Contract to Operate and Trackage Rights. Finance Docket No.
30582 (Sub-No. 2) (ICC served July 7, 1989), the ICC upheld an arbitrator's merger of only two
collective bargaining agreements. Consolidation ofcollective bargaining agreements was also
approved in CSX-Control-Ciussir System, Inc.. and
Seaboard Coast
Line Industries. Inc.. et
al.. Finance Docket No. 28905 (Sub-No. 27) (ICC served Dec. 7, 1995) (CSX-Control
ChessidSeaboar410I.C.C.2d-(1995),ajfd UM
. supra. In Wilmington Tom. RA --Pur &
Lease-CSX Tramp..
Inc.,
6 I.C.C.2d 799, 819-21 (1990), the ICC refined to require a lessee to
apply the different collective bargaining agreement in effect for the lessor to former employees of
the lessor who transferred to the lessee, citing a court decision that noted the operational
difficulties involved in such a requirement See also: the 1985 Seidenberg arbitration decision
(Exh. I 1 of UP's submission m the arbitrator); the 1985 Brown arbitration decision (Exh. 12 of
UP's submission to the arbitrator); and the 1985 Abla arbitration decision (Exh. 13 of UP's
submission to the arbitrator). These examples of approved consolidations do not exhaust the list.
' M States (Petition at 23) that it agreed to application of UP's Eastern District
Agreement for the Salt Lake Hub and that the Eastern District Agreement predominates in the
Denver Hub. UP responds that the UP Eastern District Agreement does not predominate in the
(continued... )
STB Finance Docket No. ;?.'50 (Sub-~,o _=)
authority from the Board, the ICC, or a court that establishes a duty to adopt the predominate
collective bargaining agreement that is in effect in an area where operations are being
coordinated when consolidation of collective bargaining agreements is necessary in such an area
to effect the benefits of a merger. While arbitrators may conclude that adoption of the
predominate agreement makes sense in given situations. IJTU has not explained why the
arbitrator's failure tq so conclude here was egregious error.
In RLE4, supra, the court admonished the ICC to refrain from approving modifications
that are not necessary for realization of the public benefits of the consolidation but are merely
devices to transfer wealth from employees to their employer. In its appeal. UTLi made no effort
to show that the UP Eastern Distnct collective bargaining agreement is inferior to the collective
bargaining agreements that it replaced. This is not a situation where the carver is using.vew
York Dock as a pretext to apply a new, uniform collective bargaining agreement that is infenor to
matters such as wage levels, benefit levels, and working conditions. In fact. UP argues that its
Eastern District Agreement is more costly because the collective bargaining agreement for the
Denver & Rio Grande Western Railway Company, which was the other pre-merger agreement
that might have been selected, has a crew consist provision more favorable to the carrier than the
UP Eastern District Agreemem.°
For these reasons, UTU has not shown that the arbitrator committed egregious error in
approving the consolidation of collective bargaining agreements in the Hub territories as
necessary for realization of the public benefits of the consolidation. Nor has UTU shown that the
arbitrator committed egregious error in imposing the UP Eastem District collective bargaining
agreement as the uniform agreement for operations in both of the Hubs. Because UTU has failed
to make either of these required showings under the Lace Curratn standard of review. we decline
to review this finding.
D. Health Benefits
UTU challenges the arbitrator's approval of provisions requiring employea to change
their health benefits provider from the DRGW Hospital Association to the UP Hospital
Association. UTU argues that: (1) the carrier negotiated implementing arrangements with the
carmen, clerical, and engineer crafts that offered employees a choice of plans and that tile same
choice should be available here; (2) the withdrawal of employees from the DRGW Hospital
Association plan will jeopardize that plan; (3) under the DRGW Hospital Association plan. the
premiums are $300 Iowa for a retired couple with no drug limits; and (4) health "fringe benefits"
have a protected status under New York Dock
r(...contimted)
Denver Hub but proceeds to argue that (1) UTU has in effect locked itself into its statement that
the Eastern District Agremamt should apply in both Hubs, if a single collective bargaining
agreement
a
applied, and therefore (2) we should dismiss UTU's attack on the consolidation of
coUeetive bargaining agreements on the grounds that the arbitrator applied the agreement sought
by UTU.
We will not dismiss UTU's argument on these grounds. While UTU's statements in this
portion of its petition are not clear, a fair reading of the entire record submitted by UTU shows
that it is interested in preserving prior collective bargaining rights as much as possible and that it
believes that the consolidation of collective bargaining agreements approved by the arbitrator
would be detrimental to this interest.
The arbitrator rejected the carrier's attempt to reduce train operating crews in the Hubs
(and several other changes), apparently finding that crew size was a systemwide "problem"
having nothing to do with the multiplicity of cameo operating in any given area prior to the
merger.
STB Finance Docket No. 3?760iSub-N'o __1
UP responds that UTU waived objection to the change in health benefits provider by
failing to object to this change when the tamer suomined it to the arbitrator. We disagree. On
page 19 of its separate submission to the arbitrator addressing certain commitments by UP made
dunng the ,Merger Proceeding, '° UTU argues that. under our labor protective conditions. SP
employees are entitled to retain their hospitalization and medical care after the merger. This put
the arbitrator on notice that health benefits were at issue and that UTU desired to have negotiated
benefits retained. Moreover, as explained below, the issue of health benefits goes to the
adequacy of an implementing agreement imposed under our labor conditions--a matter that we
are required to address whenever it is brought to our attention. See
Norfolk & Western
R. Co. v
Namirz, 404 U.S. 37 (1971).
In its decision in
CSX--Control-ChessielSeaboard, supra
note 8, the ICC defined the
scope of rights, privileges. and benefits that must be preserved as including hospitalization and
medical care. It did so by looking to an essential item of legislative history, paragraph I O of the
Model Agreement for the protection of labor under the Urban Mass Transit Act of 1962. which it
set forth in its decision (ICC served Dec. 7, 1995, slip op. at 14-15):
(10) No employee receiving a dismissal or displacement allowance shall be
deprived during his protection period, of any rights, privileges, or benefits
attaching to his employment, including without limitation. group life insurance.
hospitalization and medical care, free transportation for himself and his family,
sick leave, continued status and participation under any disability or retirement
program, and such other employee benefits as Railroad Retirement- Social
Security, Workmen's Compensation. and unemployment compensation. as well as
any other benefits to which he may be entitled under the same conditions so long
as such benefits continue to be accorded to other employees of the bargaining unit,
inactive service or furloughed as the case may be. [Emphasis added]
Immediately after quoting this provision, the ICC summarized its view of rights, privileges, and
benefits by stating (slip op. at 15):
We believe that this
a
compelling evidence that the term "rights, privileges, and
benefits" means the "so-called incidents of employment, or fringe benefits-"
Southern
Ry.
Co.-Control-Central of Georgia
Ry Co.
317 I.C.C. 557, 566
(1962), and tines not include scope or seniority provisions.
In its decision reviewing
CSX-Cantrol-ChezsidSeaboard, the
court adopted the ICUs test.
which definitively governs this issue. holding (108 F.3d a 1430):
In this case, the Commission offers a definition "rights, privileges, and benefits"
refers to "the madenn of employment, ancillary emoluments or fringe
beaefits--as opposed to the more central aspects of the work itself-pay- rules
and working conditions."
See Commission decision
a 14, reprinted in J.A. 237.
And "the incidents of employment, ancillary emoluments or fringe benefits" refers
to employees' vented and accrued benefits. such as life insurance, hospitalization
and medical are, sick leave, and similar benefits. See id. a 15, reprinted in J.A.
238..
Under the Commission's iaterptetation. "rights, privileges and benefits" are protected,
absolutely, while other employee interests that am not inviolate are protected by a test of
"necessity," pursuant to which there must be a showing of a nexus between the changes
sought and the effectuation of an ICC-approved transaction. Under this scheme- the
public interest in effectuating approved consolidations is ensured without any undue
10
See Attachment A to Second Declaration of Paul C. Thompson. filed May 5. 1997
STB Finance Docket No. J27601Su'o-`o _=1
sacrifice of employee interests. In our %iew, this is exactly what was intended by
Congress.
From this definition, we believe that employees' rights to membership in the DRG W Hospital
Association plan must be preserved because these rights are a fringe benefit pertaining to
-hospitalization and medical care."
(.'P responds that we must uphold the change to health benefits because (I) it is merely
incidental to the approved adoption of a uniform collective bargaining agreement and (2) a
contrary result would contravene the Board's refusal to allow parties to "cherry pick" among the
provisions of pre-merger collective bargaining agreement provisions." Moreover. UP notes that
the arbitrator declined to impose the crewing provision it sought from another collective
bargaining agreement on the grounds that doing so would violate the prohibition against "cherry
picking."
We disagree. Our approval of a uniform collective bargaining agreement and refusal to
allow "cherry picking" was not intended. and may not be used, to abrogate UTU's absolute right
to the preservation of pre<onsofdation rights, privileges, or benefits under collective bargattung
agreements as a result of Section 2 of our New
York Dock
labor conditions, as interpreted by the
[CC with the approval of the court in UTLY.
UP also argues that UTU supported similar changes of benefits pursuant to the adoption
of uniform agreements in other merger proceedings. Even if UTU did this. however, its support
of such changes in the past would not estop UTU from opposing a change here. A union does
not waive its right to preservation of rights, privileges, and benefits by failing to assert that right
in pnor proceedings. Nor does the fact that it might voluntarily agree to changes in rights.
privileges and benefits mean that it can be forced to do so where, as here, the implementing
agreement
a
imposed by arbitration. This, at a minimum, as UTU contends and as UTU asserts
UP has done in other instances, UTU's members should have been afforded the choice of
remaining with the DRGW Hospital Association plan or switching to the UP Hospital
Association plan.
Regarding UP's argument that the change in health benefits is merely incidental. and that
the harms alleged by UTU from the change in health care peovtders are "entirely speculative:'
there may be
circa
in which a "change" in a right, privilege, or benefit would be so
inconsequential or noasubstaotive that it is really not a change at all and may thus be made
without concavetung the requitemettt in
New York Dock
that rights. privileges, and benefits
under pre-existing collective bargsaning agreements must be preserved. However, on the record
before us, we conclude that the arbitrator exceed his authority in imposing provisions requiring
employees to change to the UP Hospital Association health plan against their will instead of
preserving their right to continue to be covered by the DRGW Hospital Association plan.
This decision wiU not affect the quality of the human environment or the conservation of
energy resources
!t is ordareit
l . The arbitration decision requiring employees to change their health benefit provider
from the DRGW Hospital Association to the UP Hospital Association for the Salt Lake Hub and
the Denver Hub is reversed. We otherwise decline to review the arbitration decision.
" In approving the underlying merger, we specifically rejected a proposal by a group of
unions to allow the unions to "cherry pick" the best provisions from existing UP or SP collective
bargaining agreements.
Merger Proceeding, slip op.
at 84·85, 174.
STS Finance Docket No 32?60(Sub-N'o.
2. the stay of the implementation of the arbitration award is vacated.
3. This decision is effective on its date of service.
By the Board. Chairman Morgan and Vice Chairman Owen.
Vemon A. Williams
Secretary