PUBLIC LA::
L3 ) A f II)
WW.
1 8U44
I)LS Ftl TF
Brotherhood of Maintenance of h'ay Employees
and
Chicago and North Western Transportation
Company
STATEMFNT OF CLAIM:
AWA10r) NU. 14
"'A-SE Nf.
. l S
Claim of the System
Committee of the
Bxtherhood that:
1. The dismissal of Track Supervisor D. L. Sammons was
without
dust
and
sufficient cause and wholly disproportionate to the .
alleged offense. (System File D-11-2h-16)
2. Track Supervisor Sammons be reinstated with all rights unim
paired and paid for all time lost because of the
violation
re2rred to within Part (1) of this
Claim.
OPINION OF BOARD:
This case involves the dismissal of Mr. D. L. Sammons., Track Supervisor,
on the basis of charges
that
he was
responsible
!"or a motor vehicle accident involving a company vehicle an Mfg
16, .1975, at Vankato,
Minnesota. The fac is out of
which the dismissal arose are for the most part not
contested
on the record. On
May 16, 1975,
Claimant was assigned to inspect track
from
Tracy to Mankato, Minnewcta.
As a track supervisor he worked largely without supervision and on that date he v.au
vper:,tirg ;i company truck. He arrived at Mankato, Minnesota,
where
he was to y
Uve: : -. , ~ nzght, at
approximately
4
p.m. Claimant secured a room at a local
motet
aW gad
paper work until about 9 p.m. when he went to dinner. During
the
course of his
meal
at a local restaurant Claimant consumed two or three beers.
leaving the restaurant
he
became violently ill and began to vomit. He got into -r,h:
company truck and was driving back to his motel
Then
he was invol vod :n a motor
vehicle accident sit an intersection in downtown Mankato. rlaimnnt
states without
contradiction on
this rec,)rd that he continued to be very sick rind vomited in the
truck while
making a turn st the intersection of Main and Pike Streets. The right
front fender of the truck struck
the left front of another vehicle
in the intersec
tion. Claimant stopped and
there was a brief
exchange with the
other
driver but
Claimant did not get out of the truck. He then continued on his way to his motel,
where he was followed by the other
driver
and
the
latter's
two passengers. Claimant
stated that he continued to be sick and just went to bed. The next morning, May 17,
1975, Officer William Fitzpatrick of the
Mankato Police
Department called on
Claimant at his motel. Claimant testified without contradiction
that
he caUed
the police upon arising
the
next
morning in order to report the
accident. A police
officer had the keys to
C1a-Imam's truck in his
possession and
turned
them over to
Claimant alter interviewing him. Later on the afternoon of May 17,
1975,
Claimant
wired a property damage report to the company, giving the time, date and location
of the accident, reporting $150 damage to each vehicle involved, and stating
the
assumed cause of to accident in his
own words
as follows: "I was turning onto
Main
Street from Pike Street, was watching traffic and failed to see vehicle in time.
Tao avoid collision, striking left front
fender
of other vehicle." (Sic.)
Thereafter, by notice dated May 30, 195, Claimant was advised to appear
for a formal investigation into a charge framed in the following words: "Your .
responsibility in connection with motor vehicle accident involving Tran:spportatton
Company vehicle No. 21-1123 on May
16, 1975,
at Mankato, Minnesota." At the investigation held June 4, 1975, Claimant was the only witness. He testified to all
of the facts described in detail
supra which
may be summarized as ..follows:
-2-
1. He did have a couple of heers with his dinner;
2. he became violently ill and vomited following the meal;
3. he struck the other vehicle while being sick in the cab of the
truck;
4. he did not linger at the scene of the accident but
proceeded
to his motel;
the occupants of the other vehicle followed him to his motel;
and
b.
He spoke with the police officer on the morning of May 17, 1975.
In addition to the basic facts,. Claimant was asked what in his ,judgment caused him
to be sick. He at first suggested that he had eaten some "bad food or something"
but later said he thought he might have been coming down with the flu. In this
latter connection he did testify that his family had been ill with the flu at this
time. The only other evidence introduced at the hearing consisted of the reports
of the investigating officer from the Mankato Police Department and Claimant's wire
report of property damage. The latter document has already been sumnarized supra.
The Mankato Police Department report contains answers to a series of preprogrammed
questions concerning each driver. With respectiD Claimant, under the heading of
"Apparent Contributing Factor-is the notation, "Failed to yield right of way." With
respect to the other driver under the same heading is the notation, "Beyond driver's
control." Under the heading of Physical Condition the report indicates that
;'a
aimant
"apparently had been drinking!" and that the other driver "apparently had not been
drinking." It is significant to note that the report does not state that either
driver was "apparently under the influence," although that was one available answer
on the pre _·ogrammed report under the heading of Physical Condition. The report
goes on to indicate that the driver of the other car stated Claimant turned in front
of him while making a wide left turn and struck his vehicle.
When
interviewed on
May 17, 197$, Claimant told the officer he did not
know
how the accident
hlppened.
of final significance the report indicates
that na.Lmari t war oh:
rgPd
with leaving the scene of an accident, but
that charge
wr.s pending it the tire of
the hearing and investigation vii June fit, 1975, and this record does not indicate
the outcome.
After the hearing and investigation Claimant was informed on June :?,
1975, that he would be dismissed from all service. There is no copy of the !Discipline Notice but we do note that the original charges were responsibility in
connection with the motor vehicle accident. Subsequent to the dsmissal, by letter
dated June 17, 1975, the Organization processed this claim, seeking Claimant's reinstatement with seniority and vacation rights unimpaired and compensation for all
time lost. That claim was denied at all levels of handling on the property and has
accordingly been appealed to
this
Board for resolution.
We have reviewed carefully the record in this case, bearing in mind the
Employer's three-fold responsibility in disciplinary arbitrations to demonstrate
(1) that Claimant was afforded the fair and impartial investigation to which he is
entitled under the Agreement, (2) that substantial record evidence supports
the chages
against Claimant, and (3) that under all of the circumstances the discipline assessed
is appropriate. The Organization raised certain procedural objections to the timing
of the hearing but we note that these matters were nowhere raised on the property
and they may not be presented de novo at this appellant level. Accordingly, we
roust dismiss with prejudice these procedural objections of the Organization.
Turning to the merits of the case, we find that the company on the property
argued prsmarily that Claimant should be dismissed for
consuming
alcoholic beverages
and operating a company vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating beverages
and for
violating various municipal
and state ordinances by leaving the scene of
the accident. This position is succinctly stated by a letter from the Division
_j
Manager dated July 14, 1975, reading in pertinent part an follow:-
"The point at insue of the entire
investigation is thAt Mr. ;'xmmons
violated the various municipal and
state ordinance:q relativf-
to
motor vehicles while operating a company vehicle. Secrndlh, he
operated a Company motor vehicle while under
the influence o.° in
toxicating beverages.
"I am sympathetic with Mr. Sammons feelings but I am sure that
Mr. Sammons was well aware of the risk he took
when he decided to
drive a Company vehicle after consuming an alcoholic beverage.
I cannot
believe that Mr. Sammons was doing thing else by leav
ing the scene of an accident but
conceal
the fact that he had
consumed an intoxicating beverage prior to the
accident! He
did
both by his own admission."
The Carrier's position was reinterated in the final denial 'letter on the
property
dated October
24, 1975,
over the signature of the Director of Labor
Relations
as follows
"At the investigation Mr. Sammons admitted drinking intoxicating
liquor, admitted his consumption was subsequent to eating dinner
at 9:00 p.m. and that the accident occurred some time between
11:00 and 11:45 p.m. There can be no
doubt
whatsoever
that the
accused violated the law by leaving the scene of an accident. His
excuse for doing so is extremely strained and lacks cndibility.tr
The entire thrust of the Carrier's position and handling on
the
property was that
Claimant was in fact intoxicated and operating the company truck under the influence of the alcohol he had consumed with dinner, thereby causing the accident.
2n our considered judgment, however, this contention must be rejected for two
important reasons, to wit., (1) Absent conjecture and hearsay thrice removed, there
is no evidence that Claimant was intoxicated or operating the vehicle while under
the influence of
alcohol,
and (2) at no point in this disciplinary action was
Claimant ever charged with operating the vehicle while intoxicated. There are no
witnesri~,s to gainsay Claimant's assertion that he was violently ill to the point
of vomiting
while
tying to drive the vehicle. The police report is ambiguous and
standing alone is absolutely insufficient
evidence
upon which to base a conclusion
that Claimant was operating the
vehicle while
under the influence of alcohol. At
-5-
most
on this record, a disinterested reviewer might find that Claimant exhibited
poor judgment by driving while violently sick and also in departing the scene of
the accident. Carrier claims this utter action
violated municipal and state law
but
fails
to specify
its statutory refemcc, nor is there any evidence
that state
or local officials pursued this charge to prosecution. Carrier beam the burden
of
persuasion by
substantial record evidence that its conclusions as to culpability
and its judgment as to
quantum of
discipline are not
arbitrary
and unreasonable.
This record supports the finding that Claimant
was culpable
of bad judgment but
this does not
warrant dismissal
of a 13-year employee
with
an apparently otherwise
satisfactory record. We
are compelled to reduce the discipline assessed from dismissal to a suspension of six months without pay. Accordingly, the c:.airs shall be
sustained to the extent of reinstating ~'J'.aimant with seniority and other benefits
unimpaired and with compensation at his straight time hourly rate for all time lost
from January 12, 1976J until such time as
he
is reinstated, less outside
earnings
if arty.
FINDINGS:
Public Law Hoard No. ML,.upon the whole
record
and all of the evidence,
finds and
holds as follows:
1. That the Carrier
and
Fnployee
involved
in this dispute are, respectively, Gooier and Employee within the meaning of the Railway Labor Act;
2. that the Hoard has jurisdiction over the dispute involved herein;
and .
;. that the Agreement was violated.
The claim is rurtainnd
to the
exi.~·nt indicated £n the opicx·.on
the Board.
Ian;E. E3schen,
an.-
0. M. Berge, Enploye ember
R. W. Schrniege, Carrier Me r