TCRC Division 322

President Doug Gertzen

Local Chairman Don Becker

September 26, 2005

SUBJECT:  Claims for “HA” for Held Away on an Unassigned Work Train   

Brothers:

Please be advised that the abeyance code MH06 (‘M’ mother  ‘H’ Hotel  ‘0’ zero  ‘6’ six) has been assigned to the issue of “HA” claims submitted by crews who are held away when on an unassigned work train.

It is the Company’s position that these “HA” claims are not payable.

However, this interpretation is currently in dispute and the Company has agreed to hold IP claims of this nature in abeyance until the matter is resolved.  Until a final ruling is made regarding your claim (s), it will be held here at the CMC in a basket called ABEYANCE and can be viewed in your timeslip inquiry, displayed as “AWAITING APPROVAL”.

If making similar claims of this type in the future, please submit as an IP claim and indicate that these claims are to be held in abeyance by typing “ABEYANCE MH06” in the remarks field.

MH06 is the abeyance code pertaining to this particular issue in dispute.  Note that you will not receive another declination letter on these types of claims until the issue is resolved.

Once the issue has been settled, we will advise you of the outcome.

Fraternally,

Don Becker