Burlington Northern Santa Fe
P. 0. Box 1738
920 S.F. Quincy
Topeka, KS 66601
DENNIS L. MEAD
Phone: 785-435-3114
Director Operating Timekeeping
Fax:: 785-435-7998
Richard E. Etienne
August
30, 1999
Vancouver WA
Dear Richard,
I appreciate your letter dated July 19, 1999 in which you expressed concerns about the local claims conference process. Each Director of Administration works closely with Labor Relations and this office to insure that claims are handled consistently, within the time limits and in compliance with the applicable agreement. There are some situations where there may be a disagreement in the interpretation / application of a rule or agreement that will require future Labor Relations involvement to resolve.
During the claims conference, the Director of Administration considers the claims listed for conference along with any supporting information presented by the representative prior to making a decision. On several occasions, I have had the opportunity to discuss the importance of time limits and the claims conference process with division personnel. They recognize the importance of scheduling conferences with the local representatives on a regular basis.
Each appeal sent to this office is carefully considered. Several local representatives have been very thorough in providing support documentation. In several instances, the documentation that accompanied the appeal expedited our handling and eventual settlement of the claim.
I have discussed claims handling with your Director of Administration, Ken Iverson, and he is more than willing to address your concerns about scheduling timely claims conferences. This office and each Director of Administration is committed to handling claims in a timely manner and making settlements in accordance with the agreements. We all agree that local settlement of a claim is the best course to follow and will pursue that goal.
Respectfully yours,
DL Mead