QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS - SALT LAKE HUB
Article I - SALT LAKE HUB
Q1. Does the new seniority district change switching limits
at the mile posts
indicated?
A1. No. It is the intent of this agreement to identify the new seniority territory and
not to change the existing switching limits except as specifically provided
elsewhere in this agreement.
Q2. Which Hub is Grand Junction in?
A2. For seniority purposes trainmen are in the Denver Hub, however due to the
unique nature of Grand Junction being a home terminal for one Hub and
away from home for another Hub, the extra board may perform service on
both sides of Grand Junction.
Q3. What Hub are the Valmy coal assignments in?
A3. Because they are on duty at Elko and work to or short of Winnemucca, but
not including Winnemucca, they are part of the Salt Lake Hub. This is also
true of assignments that work out of Carlin but short of Winnemucca.
Article II - SENIORITY AND WORK CONSOLIDATION
Q4. How long will prior rights rosters be in effect?
A4. They will lose effect through attrition.
Q5. Do the OUR&D rosters and agreements survive this merger?
A5. No.
Q6. It is the intent of Article 11 B note 4 to operate SLC-EIko and
SLC-Grand
Junction as one pool?
A6. No, each of these pool are now double headed and it is the intent of that
note to run each pool as a single headed pool and not combine them with
each other.
Q7. In Article II(G), what does it mean when it refers to protecting all trainmen
vacancies within the Hub?
A7. If a vacancy exists in the Salt Lake Hub, it must be filled by a prior rights
employee prior to placing employees on reserve boards. If a non prior rights
employee is working in the Salt Lake Hub then a prior rights employee must
displace that person prior to prior right trainmen going to a reserve board.
If a vacancy exists in a pool and a trainman is on a reserve board that
person will be recalled prior to the carrier using trainmen who do not hold
reserve board rights or hiring new trainmen..
Q8. Will existing pool freight terms and conditions apply on all pool freight runs?
A8. No. The terms and conditions set forth in the controlling collective
bargaining agreements and this document will govern.
Q9. What is the status of an employee who placed in the Hub after November 1
1996 but phor to the implementation of this Award?
A9. They shall be placed on the roster using their dovetail date but they shall not
have any prior rights.
Q10. Will an employee gain or lose vacation benefits as a result of the merger?
A10. No.
Q11. When the agreement is implemented, which vacation agreement
will apply?
A11. The vacation agreements used to schedule vacations for 1997will
be used for
the remainder of 199T Thereafter the Eastern District Agreement will govern.
Q12. If a local operated by a UP Idaho trainman previously went on duty at
the UP North Yard now goes on duty at the Roper Yard, does it now operate
over more than one seniority district or is it continuing current operations?
A12. Changes in on duty points within a terminal or the travel over other trackage
in a terminal does not alone alter the "continue current operations" intent of
the Agreement
Q13. What is the status of firemen's seniority?
A13. Firemen seniority will be dovetailed in a similar manner as trainmen.
ARTICLE III - TERMINAL CONSOLIDATIONS
Q14. Are the national road/yard zones covering yard crews measured by the
metro complex limits or from the switching limits where the yard assignment
goes on duty?
A14. The switching limits where the yard crew goes on duty.
Q15. If crews go on duty in the Complex short of Ogden, is Ogden part of the
initial terminal?
A15. No, it is an intermediate point.
ARTICLE IV - POOL OPERATIONS
Q16. If the on duty point for the Salt Lake-Green River pool is moved from North
Yard to Roper Yard, will the mileage paid be increased?
A16. Yes. The mileage will be from the center of Roper Yard to Green River.
Q17. Can you give some examples of work currently permitted by prevailing
agreements as referenced in Article IV B 3?
Al 7. Yes, yard crews are currently permitted to perform hours of service relief in
the road/yard zone established in the National Agreement, ID crews may
perform combination deadhead service and road switchers may handle
trains that are laid down in their zone.
Q18. Because of the elimination of Elko as a home terminal for pool service what
type of job assignment will the trainmen who remain at Elko protect?
A18. The Carrier anticipates that for those trainmen who remain in this area, that
based on manpower needs, the guaranteed extra board will protect extra
locals, branch line work (Valmy coal), yard vacancies, short turnaround
service, HOSA relief work and so forth.
Q19. Will the Carrier change the Las Vegas-Milford pool to a single-headed pool?
A19. No, not as a result of this merger notice. Article IX of the 1986 National
Award would govern any future action.
Q20. If a crew in the 25 mile zone is delayed in bringing the train into the original
terminal so that it does not have time to go on to the far terminal, what
will
happen to the crew?
A20. Except in cases of emergency, the crew will be deadheaded on to the far
terminal.
Q21. Is it the intent of this agreement to use crews beyond the 25 mile zone?
A21. No.
Q22. In Article IV(B), is the 1/2basic day for operating in the 25 mile zone frozen
and/or is it a duplicate payment/ special allowance?
A22. No, it is subject to future wage adjustments and it is not duplicate pay/special
allowance.
Q23. How is Ea crew paid if they operate in the 25 mile zone?
A23. If a pre-October 31, 1985 trainmen is transported to its train 10 miles south
of Milford and he takes the train to Salt Lake and the time spent is one hour
south of Milford and 9 hours 17 minutes between Milford and Salt Lake with
no initial or final delay earned, the employee shall be paid as follows:
A. One-half basic day for the service South of
Milford because it
is less than four hours spent in that service.
B. The road miles between Salt Lake and Milford (207).
C. One hour overtime because the agreement provides for
overtime after 8 hours 17 minutes on the road trip between
Salt Lake and Milford.
(207milesdividedby25=8'17")
Q24. Would a post October 31, 1985 trainman be paid the same?
A24. No. The National Disputes Committee has determined that post October 31,
1985 trainmen come under the overtime rules established under the National
Agreements/Awards/Implementing Agreements that were effective after that
date for both pre-existing runs and subsequently established runs. As such,
the post October 31, 1985 trainman would not receive the one hour overtime
in C above but receive the payments in A & B.
Q25. How will initial terminal delay be determined when performing service as
outlined above?
A25. Initial terminal delay for crews entitled to such payments will be governed by
the applicable collective bargaining agreement and will not commence when
the crew operates back through the on duty point.
Operation back through
the on duty point shall be considered as operating through an intermediate
point.
Q26. What does "at the location" mean in Article IV D 2?
A26. This is a geographical term that forces junior employees in the general
location to a vacancy rather than someone much farther away.
Q27. Is the identification of the UP Eastern District collective bargaining agreement
in Article IV(C) a result of collective bargaining or selection by the Carrier?.
A27. Since UP purchased the SP system the Carrier selected the collective
bargaining agreement to cover this Hub.
Q28. When the UP Eastern District agreement becomes effective what happens
to existing claims filed under the other collective bargaining agreements that
formerly existed in the Salt Lake Hub?
A28. The existing claims shall continue to be handled in accordance with those
agreements and the Railway Labor Act. No new claims shall be filed under
those agreements once the time limit for filing claims has expired for events
that took place prior to the implementation date.
Q29. In Article IV(D), if no applications are received for a vacancy on a prior rights
assignment does the prior right trainman called to fill the vacancy have the
right to displace a junior prior right trainman from another assignment?
A29. Yes. That trainman has the option of exercising his/her seniority to another
position held by a junior prior right employee, within the time frame specified
in the controlling collective bargaining agreement, or accepting the force to
the vacancy
ARTICLE V - EXTRA BOARDS
Q30. How many extra boards will be combined at implementation?
A30. It is unknown at this time. The Carrier will give written notice of any
consolidations whether at implementation or thereafter.
Q31. Are these guaranteed extra boards?
A31. Yes. The pay provisions and guarantee offsets and reductions will be in
accordance with the existing UPED guaranteed extra board agreement.
ARTICLE VI - PROTECTION
Q32. What is loss on sale of home for less than fair value?
A32. This refers to the loss on the value of the home that results from the Carrier
implementing this merger transaction. In many locations the impact of the
merger may not affect the value of a home and in some locations the merger
may affect the value of a home.
Q33. If the parties cannot agree on the loss of fair value what happens?
A33. New York Dock Article 1, Section 12(d) provides for a panel of real estate
appraisers to determine the value before the merger announcement and the
value after the merger transaction.
Q34. What happens if an employee sells a $50,000 home for $20,000 to a family
member?
A34. That is not a bona fide sale and the employee would not be entitled to a New
York Dock payment for the difference below the fair value.
Q35. What is the most difficult part of New York Dock in the sale transaction?
A35. Determine the value of the home before the merger transaction. While this
can be done through the use of professional appraisers, many people think
their home is valued at a different amount.
Q36. Who is requited to relocate and thus eligible for the allowance?
A36. An employee who can no longer hold a position at his/her location and must
relocate to hold a position as a result of the merger.
This excludes
employees who are borrow outs or forced to a location and released.
Q37. Are there mileage components that govern the eligibility for an allowance?
A37. Yes, the employee must have a reporting point farther than his/her old
reporting point and at least 30 miles between the current home and the new
reporting point and at least 30 miles between reporting points.
Q38. Can you give some examples?
A38. The following examples would be applicable:
Example 1: Employee A lives 80 miles north of Salt Lake and works
a yard assignment at Salt Lake. As a result of the merger he/she is
assigned to a road switcher with an on duty point 20 miles north of
Salt Lake. Because his new reporting point is closer to his place of
residence no relocation benefits are allowable.
Example 2: Employee B lives 35 miles north of Salt Lake and goes
on duty at the UP yard office in Salt Lake. As a result of the merger
he/she goes on duty at the SP yard office which is six miles away. No
relocation benefits are allowable.
Example 3: Employee C lives in Elko and is unable to hold an
assignment at that location and places on an assignment at Salt
Lake. The employee meets the requirement for relocation benefits.
Example 4: Employee D lives 'in Salt Lake and can hold an
assignment in Salt Lake but elects to place on a Road Switcher 45
miles north of Salt Lake. Because the employee can hold in Salt
Lake no relocation benefits are allowable.
Q39. Are there any restrictions on routing of traffic or combining assignments after
implementation?
A39. There are no restrictions on the routing of traffic in the Salt Lake Hub once
the 30 day notice of implementation has lapsed. There will be a single
collective bargaining agreement and limitations that currently exist in that
agreement will govern (e.g. radius provisions for road switchers, road/yard
moves etc.). However, none (A these restrictions cover through freight
routing. The combining of assignments are covered in this agreement.
Article VIII - IMPLEMENTATION
Q40. On implementation will all trainmen be contacted concerning job placement?
A40. No, the implementation process will be phased in and employees will remain
on their assignments unless abolished or combined and then they may place
on another assignment or on a reserve board depending on their seniority
rights. The new seniority rosters will be available for use by employees who
have a displacement.
Q41. How will the new extra boards be created?
A41. When the Carrier gives notice that the current extra boards are being
abolished and new ones created in accordance with the merger agreement,
the Carrier will advise the number of assignments for each extra board and
the effective date for the new extra board. The trainmen will have at least
ten days to make application to the new extra board and the dovetail
roster
will be used for assignment to the Board. It is anticipated that the extra
boards will have additional trainmen added at first to help with the
familiarization process.
Q42. Will the Carrier transfer all surplus employees out of the Hub?
A42. No. The Carrier will retain some surplus to meet anticipated attrition and
growth, however, the number will be determined by the Carrier.
Q43. When will reserve boards be established and under what conditions will they
be governed?
A43. When reserve boards are established they will be governed by the current
reserve board agreement covering the UP Eastern District.
GENERAL
Q44. Do the listing of mileposts in Article I mean that those are the limits that
employees may work?
A44. No, the mile posts reflect a seniority district and in some cases assignments
that go on duty in the new seniority district will have away from home
terminals outside the seniority district which is common in many
interdivisional runs.
Q45. If the milepost is on the east end of Yermo can the crew perform any work
in the station of Yermo west of the mile post?
A45. Yes, Yermo is the away from home terminal and the crew may perform any
work that is permissible under the Eastern District collective bargaining
agreement as the crew does now under its current agreement. If a yard
assignment is established it will not be filled by employees from the Salt
Lake Hub
Q46. Will all pool freight be governed by the same rules?
A46. Yes, all pool freight will be governed by the UPED interdivisional rules, such
as but not limited to, initial terminal delay, overtime, $1.50 in lieu of eating
en route.
Q47. Will all employees be paid the same?
A47. No, the current rules differ between pre and post October 31, 1985
employees with regards to such items as entry rates, duplicate payments
and overtime. Since those are part of the National Agreements that
supersede local rules they will continue to apply as they have applied on the
UPED prior to the merger.
Q48. What will the miles paid be for the runs?
A48. Actual miles between terminals with a minimum of a basic day as determined
by the National Agreement.