WRGCA - Current GCA News

In this document FRA informs the public at large of the agency’s interim position on certain interpretive questions arising out of the complex and important amendments enacted in 2008 to the Federal railroad safety laws that govern such matters as how long an employee in a certain category may remain on duty and how long the employee must be given off duty before the employee may go on duty again. In addition, FRA proposes an interpretation of one very significant provision of those amended laws that differs from FRA’s existing interpretation of the laws before the 2008 amendments. Finally, FRA requests public comment on both the interim interpretations and the proposed interpretation.

(See: RAIL SAFETY IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2008 - PDF)

UNIONS WIN ARBITRATION AWARD ON REMEDY ON QUESTION IN FMLA DISPUTE: “What is the appropriate remedy for employees who were required to use paid leave for FMLA leave in violation of the national vacation and/or national personal leave agreements?”

LETTER FROM GENERAL CHAIRMAN ON AWARD TO REMEDY - PDF

LETTER FROM PONTOLILLO ON AWARD TO REMEDY - PDF

ARBITRATION AWARD ON REMEDY TO FMLA DISPUTE - PDF

EMPLOYEES ASKED TO COOPERATE IN A TIMELY MANNER WHEN FILING I-9 FORMS WHEN CONTACTED BY UPRR HR DEPARTMENT - PDF

UPRR Human Resources Department conducted an audit and found that some of the I-9 forms are incomplete. In mid-April employees hired after November 1, 1986 and identified in the audit will receive a letter outlining the I-9 form requirements. They will then be contacted by an HR representative to assist them in completing a new I-9 form. We are asking that our members cooperate in a timely manner when contacted by the HR representative to ensure that these mandated forms are completed.

CARRIER OFFICERS ACCOMPANYING INJURED EMPLOYEES TO HOSPITAL IS HARASSMENT UNDER FRA REGULATIONS PART 225 - PDF

RE: 49 CFR Part 225: FRA Ruling March 30, 2009 that Carrier officers accompanying an injured employee to the hospital is harassment under the FRA regulations under most circumstances.

UNION PREVAIL IN FMLA ARBITRATION CASE No. 3750 - (SUMMARY)

JS CASE No. 3750 OPINION AND AWARD - PDF

The bottom line Award: “The carriers’ policies requiring employees to substitute paid vacation and/or paid personal leave for unpaid FMLA leave do violate the requirements of the national vacation and/or national personal leave agreements.”

new Idaho Schedule of Agreements in effect July 1, 2008. WRGCA General Chairman Tim Donnigan in conjunction with UP Labor Relations have completed a schedule re-write of the previous 30 year old 1977 Idaho Schedule. The undertaking took over 2 years to complete and has became a realization for the benefit of all engineers working in the territories covered under the Idaho CBA which encompass Salt Lake Hub and Portland Hubs Zones 1, 2, and 3. The General Chairman thanked Labor Relations officers Alan Weed and Lucy Ruf for their endeavors in seeing this important re-write through to completion. The details of mass printing of the Schedule for the membership is still in the process of being finalized and should be in the printing stage very shortly. After the printing process is completed copies will be sent to each Divisions Local Chairman for distribution to their respective members. The good news is that the document is now totally electronic so the membership need not wait for printing to view or download the 2008 Idaho Schedule. Due to the Schedule being an electronic document, at this point in time security measure have been installed thereby, the document may only be viewed on Acrobat Reader 8.0 (which is a free download) and has been uploaded to the WRGCA website as 'read only'.

Click here to download: IDAHO SCHEDULE OF AGREEMENT - WEB_COPY.ZIP