Metra Elburn Expansion
| Description: November 7, 2006 Mr. M. Reedy Dear Sir; Subsequent to your letter dated January 9, 2006, protesting the expansion of service to Elburn scheduled for January 23, 2006, the parties have met to discuss the issues surrounding your correspondence. We have directed our discussion into two areas. One involves agreements covered by the basic CBA that are affected by the expansion to Elburn, and the second involves the provisions of the RTA Protection Agreement dated June 3, 1977. The first issue, concerning CBA revisions has been resolved in the signing of two Memorandum of Agreements, dated November 7, 2006. The second issue, involving the June 3, 1977 Protection Agreement will be settled in the following manner; 1) The Organization has requested the Carrier to furnish the earnings of trainmen working in Commuter service on the date of the Elburn expansion, to assist the employees in determining if they were placed in a worse position with respect to compensation as a result of this expansion. The Organization has provided a list of trainmen who were in Commuter service on the date prior to the implementation of the expanded service. The Carrier has utilized this list as a work sheet and provided the estimated earnings of each trainmen for the period of January 1, 2005 through December 31, 2005, attached as exhibit #1. This list is not to be construed in any manner as recognition or admission that any employee has been affected by the expansion, nor is any trainmen being auto certified under this arrangement. 2) The current ranking of the trainmen’s positions in Commuter Ops has been attached as exhibit #2. This list establishes the order/ranking of trainmen’s positions by compensation, and the list may be updated periodically at the discretion of the Carrier, (based on the earnings potential of the positions). The list is provided to allow trainmen the opportunity to occupy the highest rated position, and to assist in this requirement all Commuter Ops trainmen positions on the Geneva Subdivision will be re-bulletined and assigned within forty-five days from the execution of this letter of understanding. This will include all regular assigned conductor and collector positions at Elburn, CRT and points in between, including the guaranteed extra boards at the CRT. 3) The parties recognize that some trainmen may be entitled to relocation or protection benefits as a result of the expansion of service to Elburn. Trainmen meeting the terms and conditions of the June 3, 1977 Protection Agreement will have the right to progress their request for benefits or claims in accordance with that agreement. 4) Under the provisions of Section 9 of the June 3, 1977 Protection Agreement, the parties are required to determine, “the exact extent of the responsibility of the Carrier under this Section 9, “ as it pertains to four specific items (listed below) associated to moving expenses. The parties have agreed that any trainmen required to change his/her point of employment in order to retain or secure active employment, and meeting the provisions of Section 10 of the June 3, 1977 agreement, will be required to submit a written request to the Carrier for authorization for relocation benefits under the agreement. A relocation form has been attached as exhibit #3, and must be completed and submitted to Mr. Greg Larson, Superintendent Commuter Ops, with a copy to the UTU Local Chairman, of a trainmen’s desire to relocate their personal residence. The Carrier will determine if the employee is entitled to relocation and moving benefits, under the conditions of 1977 Protection Agreement. Trainmen meeting the conditions of the agreement will be advised in writing, and a meeting will be scheduled with the employee and UTU representative to determine the benefits afforded under the provisions of Section 9, as noted below: 1) all expenses of moving household and other Any trainmen denied relocation benefits under this Elburn expansion will have the right to progress a claim to Arbitration, as set forth in the 1977 Protection Agreement. This arrangement is being made in full and final settlement, without Signed this 7th day of Nov. 2006, in Chicago, Illinois. M. Reedy T. Stone |
