Dear Brother Schollmeyer:
This has reference to your letter dated April 23, 2004,
wherein you discuss the current and past problems relating to the BNSF
Attendance Guidelines.
I appreciate the fact that your committees regulate pools
by the mileage agreements. Too many, if not most in this country, have
failed to police the mileage requirements, which have led to the many
manpower shortages on several of the major railroads in this country. You
indicate that recently in Vancouver, Washington the Carrier would not
allow turns to be added due to manpower shortages. If there were any
individual that could have been placed into that pool, I hope claims were
filed on their behalf There are Public Law Board Awards that has sustained
the Organization’s position for violation of the mileage requirements.
My letter of April 5, 2005, addressed to General
Chairperson Fitzgerald was in response to his March 9, 2004 letter. I
merely explained to Brother Fitzgerald how I was attempting to correct the
serious manpower situation mainly on the Union Pacific Railroad as well as
in some instances on the BNSF. At the present time, the Union Pacific is
in the worse condition, but all railroads are not hiring as needed as
pointed out in your letter.
In regards to the last paragraph of your letter, please be
advised that under no condition have I or will I attempt to make an
agreement regarding this issue. That would be under the jurisdiction of
each General Committee. My comments to Brother Fitzgerald was my
suggestions to the two Carriers of how in my opinion, they should go about
addressing manpower shortages. If the Carrier agreed with my suggestions,
they would still have to resolve this with the involved General
Committees.
Trusting that this clarifies the intent of my letter of
April 5, 2004 to Brother Fitzgerald, I remain
Fraternally yours,
/s/Paul C. Thompson
International President
cc: R. L. Marceau, Assistant President
D. L. Hakey, Vice President-Administration
J. D. Fitzgerald, General Chairperson