ARTICLE 16

YARD ASSIGNMENTS

1. Yardmen shall be assigned for a fixed period of time which shall be for the same hours daily for all regular members of a crew. So far as it is practical, assignments shall be restricted to eight hours' work. (See Article 18 for Establishment, Abolishment and Annulment.)

2. Jobs operated regularly for less than five (5) days per week will not be bulletined, but will be filled by crews made up from the Extra Board. When regular five-day jobs are established, bulletin will specify the off days.

NOTE: This does not refer to assignments of five (5) days or more which may be occasionally worked less than five (5) days.

B. POINT FOR BEGINNING AND ENDING OF DAY

1. All regularly assigned yard crews shall have a designated point for going on duty and a designated point for going off duty.

2. The point for going on and off duty will be governed by local conditions. In certain localities instructions will provide that yardmen will report at the hump, others report at yard offices, the others at engine houses or ready tracks. It is not considered that the place to report will be confined to any definite number of feet, but the designation will indicate a definite and recognized location.

C. STARTING TIMES

1. Regularly assigned yard crews shall each have a fixed starting time, and the starting time of a crew will not be changed without at least 48 hours' advance notice. Practices as to handling of transfer crews are not affected by this Article.

2. Where three eight-hour shifts are worked in continuous service, the time for the first shift to begin work will be between 6:30am and 8:00am; the second between 2:30pm and 4:00pm; and the third between 10:30pm and 12:00 midnight.

3. Where two shifts are worked in continuous service, the first shift may be started during any one of the periods named in Paragraph 2.

4. Where two shifts are not worked in continuous service, the time for the first shift to begin work will be between the hours of 6:30am and 10:00am and the second not later than 10:30pm.

5. Where an independent assignment is worked regularly the starting time will be during one of the periods provided in Paragraph 2. or 4.

6. At points where only one yard crew is regularly employed, they can be started at any time, subject to Paragraph 1.

7. Where mutually agreeable on account of conditions produced by having two standards of time, starting time may be changed one hour from periods above provided.

NOTE 1: Exceptions to starting time rules may be agreed upon by the Management and General Committees to cover local service requirements.

NOTE 2: Extra yard crews at Chattanooga Traction Company may be started at any time.

D. CALCULATING ASSIGNMENTS AND MEAL PERIODS

The time for fixing the beginning of assignments or meal periods is to be calculated from the time fixed for the crew to begin work as a unit without regard to preparatory or individual duties.

E. LUNCH TIME

1. Yard crews will be allowed 20 minutes for lunch between 4 1/2 and 6 hours after starting work without deduction in pay.

2. Yard crews will not be required to work longer than six hours without being allowed 20 minutes for lunch with no deduction in pay or time therefor.

F. CHANGE IN CONDITIONS

1. Applicable to Southern

A change of thirty minutes or more in the starting time, or a change under "Point for Beginning and Ending of Day" rule, of a crew holding a regular yard assignment shall constitute a change in conditions and yardmen will have the right to exercise their seniority to or from such assignments.

2. Applicable to CNO&TP, AGS and New Orleans Terminal

Where there is a change in conditions, as defined below, the jobs affected will, upon request of the Local Chairperson in writing within six (6) days, be advertised as permanent vacancies and filled in accordance with the rules. The following shall be called a change in conditions:

(a) A change in the starting time of thirty (30) minutes or more.

(b) A change in the point of going on or off duty.

(c) A change in off days of a regular assignment.

(d) A change in crew consist (Article 37).

NOTE: The provisions of Article 17.C.6., with respect to exercising displacement right by giving forty-eight (48) hours' notice, are not effective during the six-day period referred to above, nor during the bulletin period if bulletined on request of Local Chairperson.

In the event the jobs are bulletined, the employees on such jobs will hold same until expiration of the bulletin period. If they desire the jobs, they must bid on them. At expiration of the bulletin period the jobs will be given to the senior qualified applicants.

G. UNASSIGNED YARD WORK TRAINS AND PILOT SERVICE

1. Unassigned yard work trains and extra pilot service will be manned by the senior qualified yardman making application for same.

NOTE: All positions of foreman in charge of yard crews, including crews engaged in work train service, and all positions termed "pilot", provided such positions pay yard foreman's rates, shall be filled by the senior qualified yard foreman. His seniority as foreman dates from the date of his entry into the service as yard helper.

It is agreed that a senior yardman now holding a position referred to herein paying foreman's rate may not be displaced by a yardman senior to him as foreman unless and until a displacement right accrues under schedule rules.

2. Passenger Pilots

When passenger pilot crew consists of one employee, he will receive yard foreman's pay. If the crew consists of more than one employee, the head pilot will receive yard foreman's pay and the remainder of the crew will receive yard switchman's pay. Yard rules will apply to pilots and pilots' helpers.

3. Work Train Service

a. Work trains operating exclusively within switching limits, as defined on August 25, 1978, shall be manned by yard crews; yard rates to apply.

b. Work trains operated partly in switching limits and partly on line of road ("line of road" being outside switching limits) shall be manned by road crews; work train rates to apply.

NOTE: Applicable to yardmen at Chattanooga, Tennessee, who may work in work train service on the AGS, if no road crew is available at Chattanooga, yard crews may be used for work train service partly outside of Chattanooga yard limits, provided they do not perform more than two (2) days' continuous service and do no work south of Wauhatchie. Pool freight crews at Chattanooga shall not be deemed to be available under this rule. Pool crews, or regular road crews may claim this service. Yard crews performing this service shall be paid yard rates.

c. Work trains operated on line of road shall be manned by road crews; work train rates to apply.

NOTE: Refer to December 6, 1991 Crew Consist Agreement in determining crew size for work trains.

H. INSTRUCTIONS TO YARD CREWS

Instructions to yard crews will be given to the foreman in charge of the crew, except in case of extreme emergency.

I. YARDMASTERS PERFORMING YARD WORK

Yardmasters will not be permitted to perform yardmen's work.

J. YARDMEN LAYING OFF

1. When regularly assigned yardmen lay off of their own accord they must report for duty at least six (6) hours prior to the starting time of their assignment. This will not prevent calling employees who have not reported in an emergency.

2. Extra yardmen laying off will not be permitted to mark up for service within less than twelve (12) hours from the time they mark off, and when they report for duty they will be marked up at the foot of the Extra Board. This does not prevent calling these employees in an emergency.

K. EXTRA BOARDS

The Carrier will regulate the number of employees assigned to Extra Boards.

Extra employees will work first-in first-out. When necessary to reduce the Extra Board, the youngest employee(s) in point of service will be taken from the Board. Employee(s) so reduced will not be considered out of service of the Company and will be returned when needed, in accordance with their seniority, provided they keep the proper officers of the Company advised in writing of their address, copy of such advice to be furnished the Local Chairperson upon request; and, provided further, that they report for duty within fifteen (15) days after notice that their services are needed is given, copy of this notice to be furnished to the Local Chairperson.

This page last updated: March 02, 2005