SMART General Committee GO953 had been receiving increased reports of a Carrier clamp-down on vacation starts within the Committee.  Complaints included allegations of such items as *flat-lining of vacations throughout the year, decreasing the overall number of allocated vacation starts, and a refusal to grant Local Chairpersons the required off-time to schedule vacations. In response to such improper actions by the Rail Carrier, the General Chairman's Office developed and coordinated an aggressive Committee-wide strategy to combat the Carrier's attacks.

 Local Chairmen Committee members across the GCA served formal notice on CMS management of the railroad's improper actions with regards to scheduling of vacations, as well as serving notice of SMART Union's reasonable demands for quality vacation allocations on behalf of its members.

The coordinated action proved to be a tremendous success. Multiple reports were received of a significant increase in, not only the overall number of vacation starts, but also in the number of starts negotiated during premium summer and winter months and especially during the holidays. Many members reported the ability to schedule their vacations in the late summer and early fall, whereas in the previous year they were, at best, able to schedule vacation into the springtime.

General Chairman Leonard reports, " This is a clear-cut example of the power of the Union when we unite in solidarity".

* Flat-lining is a Carrier vacation scheduling tactic wherein an equal number of vacation starts is scheduled during each week throughout the year without regard to the desirability of such weeks.