~~
E'Do
,2-Y3g
SEP 20 1979
PUBLIC LAW BOARD N0. 17YIS
Award No. R
a
OFFICE OF GENERAL CHAIRMAN Case No. .2L
_PARTIE_S Southern Pacific Transportation Company (Pacific Lines)
TO and
DISPUTE Brotherhood of ?iaintenance of 'clay Employees
STATEMENT "1. That the Carrier violated the provisions of the Agreement when it
0 C dismissed Claimant Cesar Garcia
for
his al-legedviolation of Carrier_'s
Rule 810, absent without proper authority, said action being in
abuse of discretion and extremely excessive.
2. That Claimant now be reinstated to service of the Carrier with senior
ity and all other rights restored unimpaired, that he be compensated
for all waae loss suffered commencing November 3, 1977 and all subse
quent days thereto, and his personal record be cleared of all charges."
FINDINGS
Upon the whole record, after hearing, the Board finds that the parties herein are Carrier
and Employees, within the meaning of the Railway Labor Act, as amended, and that this
Board is duly constituted under Public Law 89-456 and has jurisdiction of the parties and
the subject matter.
In this dispute Claimant was charged with being absent from work on thirty-seven different dates from May 4 to November 7, 1977. Following an investigation he was found guilty
of the charge and dismissed from Carrier's service. There is apparently no dispute in
this matter with respect to facts and the sole issue is not the matter of Claimant's
guilt,which both parties are in agreement concerning, but rather in the nature of the
discipline assessed:
Claimant was a relatively new employee who had been with Carrier for approximately three
years. He had had attendance problems previously in 1976. As a result of that incident
he was suspended for a period of forty days. In this instance, this young employee was
absent thirty-seven days over a six month period. This is clearly an unacceptable attendance record from Carrier's point of view regardless of whether the employee calls in
and reports his absence. However, under all the circumstances this Board does not view
2Lj3a
- a
this infraction of the rules, by Claimant as warranting the supreme penalty of dismissal.
We shall order that Claimant be reinstated to his former position with all rights unimpaired but without pay for the time lost. It is hoped that this lengthy period of susVPnsion will result in Claimant being aware of the importance of proper attendance. -It
should be noted however, that should Claimant not adhere to normal, proper attendance
standards, he may be dismissed forthwith and any appeal would normally be given short
shrift under such circumstances. Therefore, the claim is sustained in part as indicated
above.
AWARD
Claimant will be reinstated to his former position with all rights
unimpaired but without pay for time lost.
ORDER
Carrier will comply with the Award herein within thirty days from
the date hereof.
I.M. Lie erman, Neutra -Chairman
L.C. Scherling-Carrier ember SE. Fleming-Employee Metnber
August 31 , 1979
San Francisco, California