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      PARTIES ) Transportation-Communications International

      TO THE ) Union

      DISPUTE ) and

                Belt Railway Company of Chicago


      QUESTIONS AT ISSUE:


          1. Did Carrier incorrectly calculate the "Decline in

              Business Formula" as provided for in the February 7,

              1965 Agreement as amended September 9, 1982, on and

              after the month of March 1988?

          2. If the answer to Question No. 1 is in the affirmative,

              shall the Carrier now recalculate said decline in

              business for March 1988 and months subsequent thereto

              and compensate those employees who were improperly

              furloughed and/or denied benefits in accordance with

              said Agreement?


      OPINION OF

      THE BOARD: Except for two, the facts in this case are exactly

      the same as the facts underlying Award No. 487.

      Instead of patrol employees, the Claimants herein are clerical

      workers and their claims began on March 1988, one month earlier

      than the claims filed by the class of police officers.

      Neither factual distinction warrants an outcome different from the result we reached in Award No. 487. For the reasons more fully set forth in Award No. 487, we find that the Carrier properly applied the Article I, Section 2 decline in business formula.

      Inasmuch as we are denying this case on its merits, we need not address or consider the Carrier's argument that the claims

      ' AWARD NO. 488

                                        CASE NO. CL-170-W


are procedurally defective because the organization allegedly

 failed to conference some of the claims on the property.

                          AWARD


      1. The Answer to the first Question at Issue is No.


      2. The second Question at Issue is moot.


Dated: September 26, 1991

                      t3- 61r,

John B. LaRocco

Neutral Member


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