May 2006 Meeting

Here's What Happened at the Meeting on Monday, May 15 2006

Due to several important issues that need to be addressed combined with the low turnout we have seen recently, the Local Chairman requested an extended meeting to be held from 0900 until 1600. Division 758 Meeting opened by the president in due form at 0900.

Members present: (note: this information is a compilation of the extended hours of all present) Brother's R. Etienne, D. St John, S. Cordes, D. Haney, T. Reddish, R. McCartney, K. Atwood, R. Jacobs, H. Bailey, J. McDaniel, M. Fischer, J. Jones, M. Taylor, M. Cousineau, W. Pellens, R. Huelle, K. Kawawaki, T. Jones, A. Nollette, E. Taylor, J. Johnson, S. Hill, P. Patterson, W. Pelham, K. Taylor, J. Blau and D. Green.  Also special guest P. Bovarnick.

The reading of the minutes of the previous meeting were suspended due to extended meeting.

Local Chairman – Rick provided several printouts concerning the assigned cars, FML, and various correspondence that we will be discussing during the meeting.

FMLA – The GCA has notified the Carrier that the US District Court ruled in favor of the organizations concerning forcing the employee’s to use paid leave while exercising their rights under FMLA. They are continuing to work on this so please let us know if this happens to you. It was suggested that members file a special claim for a basic day for each PLD or Vacation day the carrier pays you for when claiming FML. A copy of the wording to be used for this claim was made available. If you don't have one, let Rick know and he'll get you a copy.

Whistling at crossings – The carrier has issued letter saying this will be a dismissible offense. Please be sure to whistle at all crossings with a whistle board. Currently there are still some private crossings with whistle boards. Continue to blow at them to be safe. Please review the carrier’s outlook on operations testing. Please be sure to whistle until the knuckle of the locomotive is across the intersection. Remember, if there is a whistle board, be sure to blow the whistle. The carrier has said they will dismiss anyone who fails to whistle at a crossing with a whistle board.

RCO Jobs being filled by Engineers – If you see an RCO job being filled more than 3 days in a row, please be sure to let this committee know so we can make them bulletin the job. You are the eyes and ears of the division.

RCO’s sitting in Cab – If you see an RCO in charge of any shoving movement while sitting in the cab of the locomotive please be sure to get information for this committee. We need date, time, engine # and who it is if possible. If you come across anyone doing this feel free to warn them. Keene has promised to cite anyone caught doing this.

Vancouver XBD's Dog catching east of Wishram while in short turn around service. – Please be sure to document and notify this committee any time you are sent east of Wishram for a dog catch, and called off the XBD for short turn around service. Please provide a copy of the delay report and working timeslip.

Trip Rates on the OE – A new trip rate goes into effect June 1, 2006 on the OE. The rate does not factor in the basic day penalty for dog catching while enroute for 664. The rate has factored in ITD & FTD. The rate will be $274.9454 or $274.95 per trip plus SPD & CP.

Labor Relations Web Site – All the GC’s have a problem with LR direct dealing with employees through their web site. Letters have gone out requesting this stop. This is considered “direct dealing”. More as it develops.

Laying off – Carrier has cancelled the general notice advising that limits would be imposed on advance layoffs. This issue will be taken up again in July by the various GC’s. Please let this committee know if you are denied an advance layoff. We would like to know when someone is denied a compensated lay off day.

Claims – This committee continues to need 816’s for claims to be processed. Also, complete paperwork in order to work the claims. Claims without proper documentation will be returned to claimant. Please don’t leave any claims without the necessary documentation. This causes double handling of claims.

Engineer’s Report Card – Carrier has started an “engineer’s report card”. This has not been addressed nor accepted by the GCA. The measurement process would be at the whim of the carrier. You could have 100 “good” trips, but they could measure you on only one “bad trip”. The GCA is still appealing this. If the carrier tries to give you one, protest the whole thing and sign under protest.

Assigned Cars – The assigned cars are not working. The 61 car has lost their train. The 62 car is being held in Pasco for extensive times. The 63 car is peeving everybody. What do we do about it? Getting rid of the assigned cars is not an option. We need to make this work if we want to keep them. Just because you may not be able to hold one today doesn’t mean you may not be able to hold one tomorrow.

After much discussion, a motion was made, drafted and seconded, that would allow the 61, 62, & 63 cars to be made first out after obtaining 8 hours rest. They would each stand to be called for any train call or deadhead that was called on duty after their 8 hours rest. The assigned cars would go in the order of their arrival to each other. This motion will be discussed at the June meeting, and if agreed to, at that time will be put out for a ballot vote to the members. There will be no more profiling or picking and choosing trains.

Yard Limit Extension – Carrier is violating the road switcher agreement from the first day. The GC and LR are in discussions. Ness seems to think “road territory” means the territory the road switcher works on. The issue of the RS taking the yard jobs work was clearly addressed at meetings prior to the agreement being ironed out. Everyone agreed to the same thing. The minute the ink was dry, Ness violated it, and is violating it daily. If LR and GC can’t come to an agreement, what do we want to do about it? Do we want to cancel the agreement? This will mean an automatic extension of the yard limits to Rocky Point & Mt. Pleasant. We see how wonderful this thing is working now. The division decided to leave things as they are until next month's meeting. This will give the GCA a chance to work things out if possible.

Snug Harbor Crossing at Stevenson (lawyers crossing) – If you do not get a favorable signal make sure and stop prior to blocking this crossing and ask the dispatcher how long you are going to be there. Or wait until you hear a train at the detector prior to blocking crossing. Carrier seems to want it to be our responsibility on this rather than give the crews the proper information to guide you by.  Let us know if you have problems when doing this.

The floor was opened for discussion.

Safety Representative T. Reddish – The cab committee is still not receiving many cab reports. We know that engineers are being forced to take engines that have FRA defects. Please make sure you get as much information as possible if this happens to you. Make the person requiring this to instruct you on channel one so we can get a recording of it.  Also they are working to get a policy out of the roundhouse’s to get air-conditioned power on the point of all trains going east. Will let you know how this worked out.

Paul Bovarnick gave a brief presentation on several issues.

Meeting adjourned at 1600.

June 2006 Meeting