Ms. Marka Hughes
General Director Labor Relations
BNSF Railway
PO Box 961030
Ft. Worth TX 76101-0030

December 19, 2000

Ms. Hughes,

This committee has filed repeated complaints regarding the blatant disregard of schedule agreements and RLA rules regarding payment of time claims by operating timekeeping. Letters are sent, platitudes are received by appropriate officials, and things remain unchanged. As Director of Operating Timekeeping, Labor Relations, it seems the buck should stop at your desk. Therefore, future correspondence regarding the inability of the operating timekeeping department to address claims properly shall be henceforth addressed to your office.

Ms. Hughes, this committee recently sent a "sleeper" claim for appeal to operating timekeeping in order to show that regardless of the validity of any claim, payment will not be made. True to form, this claim was returned declined. The file is for Engineer KL Atwood, employee # 489638-7, file #86, dated 07-26-00, ticket # CE2461. The claim was for 15 minutes overtime, acct the overtime had not been declined by timekeeping within the 60 day time limit, per SP&S agreement, rule 54. (see attached).

The claim was denied acct. "This claim is declined in its entirety, no records in this office of ever having received the appeal/claim, therefore 60 day rule not in effect"

Explain to me, please, how if this claim was never received in the office of operating timekeeping, Mr. Atwood was paid everything on timeslip CE2461 except the overtime? If Mr. Atwood submitted the timeslip for wages on 07-26-00, and the appeal was submitted on 10-09-00, and the decline was generated on 12-12-00, exactly what part of "not paid within 60 days" is not understood? The appeal was sent after 74 days, and the declination issued after 138 days. Is not 60 days less than 74 or 138 days?

Ms. Hughes, this committee is tired of platitudes. Correction of the problem is the desired action. This committee wishes to know exactly who is dictating policy regarding the payment of time claims. Is Labor Relations, or Operating Timekeeping running the show.

Respectfully,

Richard E. Etienne

Local Chairman
Div. 758

Cc: MW Geiger Jr.
Milton H. Siegele
Randy Luther
MF Prellwitz