Portland Hub Zone 1

Portland Hub Zone 1 - Side Letters

May 1, 1998

Side Letter No. 1

Gentlemen:
During our discussions on New York Dock Protection we discussed the issue of a pool engineer taking a single day paid absence such as a Personal Leave day or single day vacation and the impact it will have on his/her protection. In an effort to simplify the process and to provide the pool engineer with an alternative the parties agree that a pool engineer shall have one of the following options:
	(1) Elect a single paid personal leave or vacation day and hold their turn so that if it obtains a first out status they will be first out when they are marked up no less than 24 hours later, with no deduction from their protection; or (2) Elect a minimum of two consecutive days paid personal leave or vacation days on pools whose round trip district miles are 400 or less or a minimum of three consecutive days on pools whose round trip district miles are more than 400 miles and not hold their turns. If the minimum number of consecutive days are met for each round trip then no deduction will be made in their protection.
		Question #1: If the round trip district miles of a run are 390 miles and initial and or final terminal delay make a payment over 400 miles, how many personal leave days must be used? Answer #1: Only the district miles are used for determining the number of personal leave days to be used. In this case two personal leave days would qualify for no deduction. Question #2: If the round trip district miles are over 400 miles, how is a deadhead counted? Answer #2: Deadheads are already taken into account by using a 1/15th offset for pools. Since most pools do not average 15 round trips per month a 1/15th offset is less than using the average for each pool. As a result the round trip district miles are used for determining the number of personal leave days that would substitute for no offset and in this case three personal leave days would qualify. Question #3: If an employee requests the minimum of 2 days for a 380 round trip, can the Carrier approve only 1 day? Answer #3: No. Depending on the needs of service, either both days will be granted or both days declined.
	(3) Elect a single paid personal leave or vacation day and not hold their turn resulting in payment of a single day with a corresponding 1/15th deduction from protection.
The option must be selected by the engineer at the time the personal leave or vacation day is granted. Engineers must file the protection form each time they take paid days in accordance with the above options. This letter will not apply to any engineer who does not have wage protection and when no engineer has such protection then this letter shall become null and void.
		Yours truly, W.S Hinckley General Director Labor Relations

May 1, 1998 Side Letter #2 Gentlemen:
	At the end of the prior right period as set forth in Article II (L) the BLE General Chairman may serve a thirty day notice to replace Article VI (D) (2) First In/First/Out with the following language:
		First In/First Out (1) Engineers in pool freight service in Zone 1 who are runaround (terminal or enroute) will be restored to their original positions upon arrival at the applicable terminal. (2) Pool engineers in Zone 1 who are runaround due to not being rested under the Hours of Service Act will, upon arrival at their home terminal be restored to their relative position in the pool prior to departure from the home terminal, unless the engineer so notifies the CMS Crew Dispatcher upon tie-up that she/he elects to stay in the new arrival position. (NOTE: This option is only available to the assigned engineer of the turn.)
	If the parties have amended Article VI (D) (2) on either a local, system or national basis then this side letter is null and void.
		Yours truly, W.S Hinckley General Director Labor Relations

May 1, 1998

Side Letter #3

Gentlemen:

The parties recognize that there are some “Oregon” Agreements that are localized and need to be retained. These agreements or rules are specific to a unique operation that would not be covered under a Idaho Rule. Two examples are the garbage train agreement which provides for certain local operations and a detour agreement which is due to two carriers operating side by side. The parties will meet within the next 45 days and review what should be kept. If a disagreement arises then the matter shall be referred to the General Director and the General Chairman. Failure to agree on all rules shall not interfere with the implementation of the Zone 1 Agreement.

Yours truly,

W.S Hinckley
General Director Labor Relations

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