Update on January 27, 2000 one claim was approved. Its only 99.8% declinations

Jay L Schollmeyer Local Chairman 1637 Portland, OR 97215 Email jay@jaysworks.com

Mr. Mead, I would like to address your letter dated January 19, 2000 particularly the following.

• We wish to assure you the BNSF takes all claims seriously and want to make proper payment(s), however a few claims/appeals do get by us.

• In the future it would be suggested that claimant first contact his/her timekeeper for claims of this nature.

I have been in contact with several UTU and BLE Local Chairmen across the former BN northern lines, we are all getting 100% declinations back from your office.

The appeal I had sent for Mr. Sprague's second meal was submitted as a test. The appeal letter was very clear and demonstrated the claim was proper and due. Your 100% record held up.

Now I have claims that have gone over 60-days and the response I get is claim was never received or carrier response was sent out but not received at my end.

The integrity and creditability of timekeeping is in question with the handling of claims since October 1, 1999.

JL Schollmeyer
Local Chairman 1637

cc: JD Fitzgerald
M Hughes

Jay Schollmeyer
Local Chairman #1637
Portland OR 97215

Dear Jay:

Thank you for your letter of January 15, 2000 providing me an example of the handling given to an appeal submitted to Operating Timekeeping. I understand that Marka Hughes discussed this very issue with General Chairman Fitzgerald last week She assured John that Operating Timekeeping is committed to handling appeals from local chairmen timely and correctly based on the provisions of governing labor agreements.

I apologize that my team did not handle this claim appeal properly. You gave us all the information in your appeal letter of November 23, 1999 to evaluate and pay the claim. Based on the provisions of your agreement, this is a good claim and should have been paid through your appeal. We are revising our internal claims handling processes so that the Operating Timekeeping team consistently follows the best practices in timeslip handling and customer service.

An adjustment has been made in the first half of January for payment of the second meal on Conductor Sprague’s ticket CE3810 dated October 31, 1999. Payment will be included with the first half of January pay.

Respectfully,
<signed> 

cc: John Fitzgerald
Marka Hughes
Maggie Prellwitz
Barry Stoltz

JL Schollmeyer
LC, UTU 1637
Portland, Or 97215

Please refer to your letter, dated, January 15, 2000 appealing the claim of BH Sprague for 2 meals on timeslip number CE3810 for date of claim, October 31, 1999.

This is to advise that an additional payment of $6.00 was processed January 19, 2000. This is full settlement of this claim and any claim in excess of this adjustment remains declined.

This will serve as your notice of payment for claim of an additional meal of $6.00 in behalf of BH Sprague. We wish to assure you the BNSF takes all claims seriously and want to make proper payment(s), however afew claims/appeals do get by us. In the future it would be suggested that claimant first contact his/her timekeeper for claims of this nature.

This claim is being paid without precedence to any other claim and without prejudice to either party.

Sincerely,

Dennis L. Mead
Director Operating Timekeeping

Jay L Schollmeyer Local Chairman 1637 Portland, OR 97215 Email jay@jaysworks.com

Mr. Mead, the following claims was submitted for appeal and was declined by Mr. Stoltz.

Conductor Sprague claimed 2 meals for $12.00 his claim was cut to one. Conductor Sprague's previous time off duty was 12 hours 34 minutes.

 One more time tell me the BNSF takes all claims seriously and wants to make proper payment.

JL Schollmeyer
Local Chairman 1637

cc: JD Fitzgerald
M Hughes