While it is fashionable to lambaste the old work rules that the operating
unions coerced from the carriers as featherbedding; they each had a purpose
at one time. The main purpose was to protect the membership from unfair
practices and guarantee full employment to the members. Over time they became
obsolete and that is why today there are so few "arbitraries".
One of my favorites was the lapback rule that allowed a train/engine service
employee an additional days pay(100 miles) for going thru a station in one
direction,then back thru the station the other way and then thru the station
a 3rd time in the original direction. While this was seldom collected it,
brought smiles to all faces when it was invoked. For example(there I finally
got to the story) one day on the East End w/f after heading back west we were
advised to come out of the yard at Downers(Downers Grove) and go to Belmont
where Hulcher was working cleaning up 97s mess from a couple days prior when
they took out the depot, etc in a massive derailment. We went up to Belmont
tied onto a pretty sick 40 ft box that had been placed on shop trucks and
dragged it back into the yard at D.G. then we again went out the east end of
Downers and down the main to Belmonte where we again tied into a sickly
looking 40 footer and took it into the yard at Downers and tied it down
w/blocks as there were no air or hand brakes.We then proceeded to Naperville
for more station work. Our compensation for about an hours shuffling between
the 2 stations was 200 miles above and beyond the days pay. Now if you think
that was unfair keep in mind the carrier could have ordered a wrecking
train/engine crew and paid them 100 miles and they could have hung around for
8 hours and moved cars every time hulcher was ready. Remember the "full
employment goal". Leo (former Local chrmn UTU local 171 and mgmt
officer)(talk about a split personality!) Leo
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