    

  

      

     



    





     

   

  

           

            

            

          

          

       

 

             

            

           

           

      

            

             

        

            

            

           

           

             

  

              

            

             

    

PUBLIC LAW BOARD NO. 7599 AWARDNO. 148

Page 2

FINDINGS OF THE BOARD:

The Board, upon the whole record and on the evidence, finds that the parties herein are the Carrier and Employees within the meaning of the Railway Labor Act, as amended; that this Board is duly constituted by agreement of the parties; that the Board has jurisdiction over the dispute, and that the parties were given due notice of the hearing.

The Organization contends that it and the Claimant are entitled to a default decision in their favor per Rule 24 of the Agreement.

Rule 24 dictates the process for handling claims on the property. The rule specifies the steps that must be followed and the timing of those steps. If the time limit for a step is not followed, the rule provides that the claim must be allowed.

The claim was filed on March 11, 2022. The Carrier did not deny it until December 14 of that year. Rule 24(a) imposes a 60-day time for the Carrier to do so. If not so notified, the claim will be allowed. Nonetheless, the Organization sent an appeal of the untimely denial. The claim was discussed in conference on June 12, 2023.

On September 11, 2023, the Organization wrote to the Carrier that it had not received the required post-conference letter per Rule 24(b) within the 60-day time limit specified by the rule.

The record does not show that the Carrier complied with two of the time limits of Rule 24. Therefore, the Claim must be allowed without reaching the merits.

AWARD: The Claim is sustained. The Carrier is directed to comply with this Award within thirty (30) days of the date shown below.

GeraldRWallin, Chairman and Neutral Member

/JohnSchlismann Organization Member

_s;k- )J_)()J I Steve Napierkowski Carrier Member

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