POOL FREIGHT SERVICE MEAL ALLOWANCES

POOL FREIGHT SERVICE MEAL ALLOWANCES

UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD COMPANY

Department of Labor Relations

June 29, 1972

Mr. W. B. Gaskins

General Chairman, BLE

411 Spaulding Building

Pocatello, Idaho 83201

Dear Mr. Gaskins:

In the conferences held at Pocatello, Idaho and Portland, Oregon on the issues of interdivisional service, the Organization contended that certain alleged sharp practices were being indulged in by the Company so as to defeat both held-away-from-home terminal time payments and allowances for the second meal period to engineers who might, except for such alleged sharp practices, qualify for such additional payments.

Specifically, Section (e) i) of Part III of the Interdivisional Service Agreement deals with meal allowances and Section 2 of Article VII of the National Agreement, as modified by understandings, provide that--

“Engineers will be allowed a $2.00 ($6.00) meal allowance after 4 hours at the away-from-home terminal and another $2.00 ($6.00) meal allowance after being held an additional 8 hours.”

In essence, therefore, an engineer held at the away-from-home terminal twelve hours or more qualifies for an allowance of $4.00, i.e., $2.00 after the first 4 hours and $2.00 after the second additional 8 hours.

It was asserted, however, that engineers were frequently brought on duty after being held at the away-from-home terminal 11 hours or more and before the expiration of the twelfth hour, even though - according to some statistics and data furnished - the train for which called was not scheduled to arrive and, in fact, did not arrive until one or more hours after the twelfth hour.

In order to correct this alleged practice and inequitable handling, various proposals have been made to the Carrier, some of which appeared to be wholly lacking in merit; whereas, others appeared to have some basis in equity and merit.

Therefore, to resolve this issue --

IT IS AGREED:

I - Meal Allowances

(a) In the application of the agreements adverted to above, if an engineer is brought on duty after having been off duty eleven hours and thirty minutes (11’30”) at the away-from-home terminal and the train for which called does not start on its road trip until after the expiration of the twelfth hour of the engineer, calculated from the time engineer was relieved from duty on the previous trip, the engineer will in that event, and that event only, qualify for the second meal allowance of $2.00.

(b) If, however, an engineer is brought on duty after having been off duty less than eleven hours and thirty minutes (11’30”) at the away-from-home terminal and the train for which called does not start on its road trip until after the expiration of the twelfth hour of the engineer, calculated from the time engineer was relieved from duty on the previous trip, the engineer will not in such event qualify for the second meal allowance ($2.00).

Example (Paragraph A) --

Engineer A arrives X at 4:30 PM lst, ties up 5:05PM lst.

Engineer A brought on duty x 4:40 AM 2nd, train departs 5:10 AM 2nd.

Engineer A qualifies for second meal allowance.

Example (Paragraph A) --

Engineer A arrives X at 4:30 P lst, ties up 505 p lst.

Engineer A brought on duty X 5:00 A 2nd, train departs 5:50 A 2nd.

Engineer A qualifies for second meal allowance.

Example (Paragraph A) --

Engineer A arrives X at 4:30 PM 1st - ties up 5:05PM lst.

Engineer A brought on duty X 4:30 AM 2nd, train departs 5:55 AM 2nd.

Engineer A does not qualify for second meal allowance.

Example (Paragraph B) --

Engineer A arrives X at 4:30 PM 1st - ties up 5:05 PM lst.

Engineer A brought on duty X 4:30 AM 2nd - train departs 5:40 AM 2nd.

Engineer A does not qualify for second meal allowance.