Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers

 
A. H. Hessler  
Local Chairman  
BLE Division 842
Klamath Falls, OR 97603 

Dear Sir and Brother:

Attached please find a copy of our recent settlement concerning Post 85 offsets to deadheading pay with held away payments. The settlement brings closure to the recent complaint that you forwarded and you may add it to your files. We are copying all Local Chairmen for their records and I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the time and effort that you put into documenting this complaint. It is largely due to the quality of the records that you provided that we were able to bring resolution to this issue and all Post 85 engineers represented by this Committee will benefit because of your efforts.

Please contact the Office if you have any further questions,

Dennis R. Pierce
General Chairman

DWM

cc: All Local Chairmen

Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers

Mr. Roger A. Boldra                                                         January 6, 2004
General Director, Labor Relations                                       File: Held Away From Home Terminal
BNSF Railway  
P.O. Box 961030  
Ft. Worth, TX 76161-0030

January 6, 2004

Dear Mr. Boldra:  

This is in reference to your letter dated December 22, 2003 concerning Post 85 deadhead offsets for non service payments such as held away from home terminal allowances. I have reviewed your letter and I find that it does reflect our understanding. I would like to thank you for the expeditious manner in which this matter was handled by you and Assistant Vice President Siegele. Your prompt reply to our request for clarification is greatly appreciated.

 Sincerely,

/s/ Dennis R. Pierce
General Chairman  

cc:        M.H. Siegele, Asst. VP Labor Relations
            Rick Gibbons, General Chairman, BLE  
            Austin Morrison, General Chairman, BLE 
            Pat Williams, General Chairman, BLE  
            All Local Chairmen, with enclosure

December 22, 2003  

 Dear Gentlemen:

This letter is to confirm our recent discussions concerning the payment of held away from home terminal pay to Post November 1, 1985 employees. When these employees are tied up at their away from home terminal in excess of 16 hours, the BLE 1986 National Agreement provided that, “If deadheading from service at other than the employee’s home terminal does not commence within 16 hours of completion of service, a minimum of a basic day at such rate will be paid. .Non-service payments such as held-away-from-home terminal allowance will count toward the minimum of a basic day provided in this Section 2(b).”  

While we still believe our approach here in withholding those payment is correct, BNSF will continue to offset the basic day deadheads described above with held away payments with the following qualifications; the involved basic day deadhead will only be offset or reduced down to the actual time spent on duty deadheading.

Example 1.  

8 hour lay over at the AFHT, 3 hour deadhead home  
Allow 2 hours HAFHT, basic day DH is reduced by two hours to allow 6
 hour payment for DH  

 Example 2.

24 hour lay over at the AFHT, 3 hour deadhead home 
Allow 8 hours HAFHT, basic day DH is reduced to time spent deadheading 
to allow 3 hour payment for DH

If the above does not reflect our understanding, please contact me immediately 

Sincerely.

/s/ ROGER A BOLDRA