PUBLIC LAW BOARD N0. 3460
Award No. 2
Case No. 2
.PARTIES
1
Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes
TO and
DISPUTE Burlington Northern Railroad Company
STATEMENT "Claim of the System Committee of the Brotherhood that:
OF
CLAIM
(1) the dismissal of Section Laborer F. D. Manley is without
just and sufficient cause and wholly disproportionate
to the alleged offense.
(2) Section Laborer F. D. Manley shall be returned to his
former position with all rights unimpaired and be com
pensated at his applicable rate for all time lost."
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.
Claimant was employed by Carrier on November 8, 1968. At the time of the incident involved in this matter, he was employed as a section laborer. The record
indicates that on July 10, 1980, at approximately 9:20 A.M., while assigned to
the task of pulling spikes, Manley threw a track spike which was intended to go
into a keg and hit another employee in the mouth causing some injury. The spike
allegedly caught in claimant's glove and the accidental injury was not a serious
one. A couple of hours later on the same day the Foreman instructed the gang,
including Manley, that a train was about to pass the gang and Manley did not move
to a place of sufficient safety when the train passed, resulting in his hardhat
being blown off and destroyed by the passing train. The record indicates that he
was approximately.10-12 feet from the passing train at the time of the incident.
Another employee was somewhere in his vicinity at the time. Subsequently, the
claimant was charged with failure to work safely in the discharge of his duties
and "by being careless with the safety of himself and others by his throwing a
track spike and hitting another employee in the mouth .... and his failure to move
34~a-a
to a place of sufficient safety when Train No. 163 passed, resulting in his hardhat being blown off and destroyed under train, at about 11:29 A.M., July 10,
1980 ...." He was also charged with insubordination in the course of that same
series of incidents but was not found guilty of that matter. He was found guilty
of
the earlier other two items in the charge and was, following an investigation,
discharged. Subsequently, in September of 1980, the Organization and claimant
were advised that Carrier was agreeable to reinstating him with seniority unimpaired, as a matter of managerial leniency, with the understanding that he would
not process a claim for payment of wages lost as a result of the dismissal. This
offer of leniency, with the condition attached, was refused.
Petitioner insists that the incident of the spike hitting another employee was
an accident which was not due to carelessness or lack of safety precautions by
claimant. In fact, Petitioner insists that the foreman was aware that he was
tossing the spikes into the keg and made no effort to stop him until the accident
occurred. With respect to the alleged failure of Manley to get clear of the
train which passed, the Organization maintains that Manley did, indeed, comply
with the instructions and was a sufficient distance from the train.
Carrier states that the violations by claimant were clearly demonstrated at the
investigation and they were very serious and warranted dismissal. Carrier notes
that claimant's actions seriously endangered his own safety and that of his fellow
employees. These violations, in conjunction with claimant's past unsatisfactory
work record (indicating two censures and two suspensions in the preceding 2~2
years), warranted dismissal.
In the course of the handling of the matter prior to being assigned to this Board,
Carrier made the point that its liability, if any, terminated with its offer of
reinstatement on a leniency basis in October of 1980. The Board notes, however,
that this offer of reinstatement was conditioned upon there being no claim for
monies lost and, hence, does not act as a termination point for any potential
liability. Had the offer of leniency not been conditioned on the abdication of
the right to file for wages lost, Carrier's position would be correct.
There is no question but that Carrier established through the investigation
3L! h C)-.;)-
adequate evidence to indicate lack of safe operations on the part of claimant.
He was careless in the use of the keg, throwing the spikes, and further he did
not go to a place of safety after being warned by his foreman that a train was
coming. Both acts were clearly incorrect and deserved punishment. The conclusion
reached, however, is that the type of infractions involved were those which would not
warrant dismissal. That penalty was excessive and discriminatory in view of-the
nature of the particular offenses committed. Even in consideration of the claimant's past record, there was absolutely no justification for dismissal for his
lack of safety in the two incidents. The Board is keenly aware of the necessity
for safe operations and Carrier's proper concern for such safe operations. However, in this instance, the discipline far exceeded the "crime" committed. In
the Board's view, a suspension would have been an adequate penalty for the particular infractions. For that reason, the Board will order claimant's reinstatement
with all rights unimpaired following a suspension for 90 days. Claimant will be
made whole for all wage loss suffered in excess of the suspension imposed.
AWARD
ORDER
F. H. Funk, Employe Member
St. Paul, Minnesota
September30, 1984
Claim sustained in part. Claimant will be reinstated to
his former position with all rights unimpaired and made
whole for all wage loss sustained in excess of 90 days;
the 90-day period will be considered a disciplinary layoff for the infractions he committed.
Carrier will comply with the award herein within thirty
(30) days from the date hereof.
I. M. Lieberman, Neutral-Chairman
W. Hodynsky',,La-fr-ier Member