PA2T2;;S ) L.^high Valley Railroad Company
TO TIM ) arid
DISPJT3 ) Brot_hexaood oi- ?a.i.ntenance of Way Employes

QLTUST20iil Did the guaranteed compensation of
AT ISSUE: Mr. Cl.a.yrc 33. iiatr, effective April 1,



OPINION 2n accordance with an agreement between the
OL~ BOARD: parties dated August 25, 1958, Claimant' S rate as
Foreman was p.=''E:s^xVed a1t:1Gl7gh le w,-..c; clownrjYadce)
t0 LabJreT.'. Cr:·.rrJ.C'.:C COn:C:ndS that under the Oct6-ner 7, 3.0159,
Mediation Agrc.el'nCnt tl1 is gLlc iantP.C vas 1051: when 1111! Employes
(-ailed to specify its coYair?ua-vion. Powever, allegedly by
error, Claimant COTli.lrlll·Cll to receive v'oreman's rate until.
April l., 1965, fGllocrirl~ the agreement of February 7. On
April 1, tile allcnae.nce was discontinued.

Claimant is a protected employee. Article 2V, Section 1, of the February 7., 1965, Agreement provides that protected employees "shall not be placed in a worse position with respect to coaap2nsation than tile normal rate of compensation for said regularly assigned position on October 1, 1904." On that date, Claimant was working as a Laborer, but: receiving Foreman's rate pursuant to the 1958 Agreement.

This issue must be decided in accordance with Article VI, Section 4, which provides as follows:



                                    Case No. 2!'d-1-E


          be considered compensation for purposes of determining the ccinpensation due a protected employee under this agreement.


The "amount or duration" of allowances such as that which had been granted to Claimant are "unaffected" by the February 7 Agreement, according to the above--quoted provision. Section 4 neither guarantees continuance of such allowance nor authorizes discontinuance. The allowances are simply outside the 1965 Agreement's purview.

Section a dogs say explicitly, however, that "allowances payable...shal.l not b= considered compensation
for purposes of determining the compensation due a protected
employee under this agreement." What the February 7 Agreement considers co;np:~n;,at-i.on due a protected employee is what is spec:i:Eied in Article TV, Section 1.: tl_"normal rate o = compE:115ati_Oi1 for said rcgulE,,rly assigned positions." The regularly assi.cjncd po5_ci.on of Cla irnant is, without question, that of Laborer. The "IlOrisla.l rate Of COi:irJ^n5a'i..iU11" 1.S tha-" which the Carrier has paid since April 1, 7.965.

The extent of this Committee's authority is the February 7 Agreement and no more. It cannot ma',:e an award of an allowance "4Jili.Ch shall not be considered compensation for purposes of determining the compensation due a protected employee under this agreement." It can award only the compensation vfnich a protected employee is guaranteed by the 1965 Agreement. That is the position's normal rate.

Consequently, the claim is not properly before this Committee, but roust be handled in another tribunal, in accordance with the rules.

                        A T4 A K D


              Claim dismissed.


                          Mi~r ie maa Neutral idember


Dated: Washington, D.C.
June 10, 1969
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