SMART-TD Agreed to Q & A
Regarding Using Seniority within the CFT (Yard)

(The term yardman, as used in these Q & A, refers to any person holding seniority as Conductor, Foreman, Switchman, Utility Man, Pilot/Flagman, Hump Conductor, Car Retarder Operator, etc. within the Chicago Terminal Complex)

Q.        When can a yardman use his seniority to make a "move"?

A.        A yardman can use their seniority every 24 hours.

Q.        How does a yardman make a "move"?

A.        A yardman makes a "move" by calling CMS at least 24 hours in advance of the new job start time regardless of current status (ie. “LV”, “LB”, “LS”, “FL” etc.) to place themself on the new assignment.  (Hereinafter a "24-Hour").

Q.        What if a regular assigned yardman wishes to "throw-up" his regular assignment and place themself on the extra board?

A.        The regular assignee must call to place on the extra board within 2 hours after tie-up from his job, unless the next day is a scheduled off day.  If the assignee is observing a scheduled off day, or has completed work on the day before a scheduled off day, he can call anytime and will be placed on the extra board at 00:01 on the final day following the scheduled off-days.

Q.        What is meant by exercising seniority?

A.        A yardman places themself on a job that is unassigned, places themself on the extra board, displaces a yardman with less seniority from a job, or uses a "One-Day-Stand".

Q.        What is a job?

A.        A job is a regularly established assignment.

Q.        Are the Foreman and Switchman positions on the same assignment considered separate Jobs?

A.        No, the assignment is a job.  The yardman takes the assignment.  The senior yardman then makes the determination whether he will be the foreman or switchman on the assignment.

Q.        How long does a yardman have to stay on an assignment after exercising             seniority on the assignment?

A.        A yardman has to remain on the assignment until they work that assignment at least once.  This includes the extra board.

EXCEPTION:  CRO's must stay on an assignment until the completion of the job's off-days.

Q.        How does a CRO change jobs?

A.        Before completion of the job's off-days, a CRO can make a move to another CRO assignment or to another yard assignment.  If the CRO moves to  another CRO assignment, the off-days of the new CRO assignment must be the same as the current assignment, or the off-days of the new assignment must consecutively follow the current assignment.  The CRO will not be placed on the new assignment until the completion of the current assignment.

Q.        When is a yardman moved off of the extra board after they "24-Hour" regular job assignment?

A.        The yardman can be called and must protect the extra board until 23:59 of the day preceding the new assignment, unless they mark themself off the extra board.

Q.        Can a yardman make a seniority move every day and work 7 days a week?

A.        No, a yardman can make a seniority move on a regular assignment every day, but will not be scheduled to work more than five days per week.  This does not apply to yardmen on extra boards.

Q.        What happens if a yardman is displaced before he works an assignment that he bid on?

A.        The yardman has no displacement rights.  He will be placed back on his previous assignment.  If the yardman was on the extra board, then he will be placed back on the extra board in the same position, between the same people, where he was taken off the board.  If this is not possible, then he will be placed first out on the extra board.

Q.        What happens if a yardman makes a seniority move before the off-days of the             assignment?

A.        If the off-days of the new assignment come after the off-days of the old assignment, thereby extending the work week beyond 5 days, the yardman will be required to observe the off-days of both assignments (LM - Laid Off Miles).  Example: Old job has Sunday/Monday off and a seniority move is made to a job with Wednesday/Thursday off.  The yardman must observe Sunday/Monday and Wednesday/Thursday as off-days.

EXCEPTION:  CRO's that change jobs will not be subject to this provision when bumping onto another CRO job.  This provision will apply if the CRO bumps onto a regular yardman job.

Q.        Can a yardman exercise his seniority on their job's off-days?

A.        Yes, however, it will not take affect until 00:01 following the job's off-days

Q.        Can a yardman work on his scheduled off-days?

A.        Yes, yardmen can work on their scheduled off-days by notifying the crew caller that they are making themselves available to be called.

Q.        Who are the first available yardmen called after all straight-time extra board           yardmen from the primary extra board are exhausted?

A.        After all straight-time yardmen from the primary extra board are called, any available yardman on straight-time will be ordered if they are making-up a missed day from their regular assigned job.

Q.        In what order are available overtime yardmen called after straight time yardmen are exhausted.

A.        In seniority order.

EXCEPTION:  Yardmen on overtime making themselves available to work their regularly assigned jobs will be ordered ahead of senior yardmen.

Q.        When can yardman on the other CTC extra boards be ordered?

A.        Other CTC extra boards will be used when there are no rested yardmen on the primary extra board protecting that assignment, and there are no yardmen that have made themselves available on their off-days.

Q.        Can a yardman "move" with less than 24 hour notice?

A.        Yes, with displacement rights (a bump) yardmen can place themselves on a job up to the calling time of the assignment.  This can be done on existing jobs or newly created jobs.

Q.        What is the calling time of assignments?

A.        Three hours for all regular assignments.  Two hours for all extra assignments.

Q.        When does a yardman have displacement rights (a bump)?

A.        A yardman has a "bump" when he is displaced by a senior yardman, when returning from one or more full weeks of vacation, or when the conditions of an assignment changes.

Q.        What happens when a yardman has one or more weeks of vacation?

A.        The yardman is displaced from his job assignment and his job assignment becomes available.

Q.        Can a yardman mark-off after being displaced?

A.        Yes, consistent with rules and practices that apply to extra board yardmen. Displacement rights are not affected by a mark-off.

Q.        After being displaced, what if a yardman does not place themself?

A.        24 hours after the time the yardman is notified of their displacement; 24 hours after the yardman completes their last tour of duty subsequent to a displacement notice; or 24 hours after the expiration of a mark-off period subsequent to a displacement notice (whichever is later); the yardman will be forced to any one of the CTC extra boards.  The yardman will maintain his displacement rights until he receives a call to duty from CMS.

Q.        Can a yardman place themself on a job that is temporarily vacant?

A.        Yes, a yardman with displacement rights can place themself on a regular assignment that has been temporarily vacated by a yardman (a "One-Day-Stand").  After a "One-Day-Stand", the yardman goes back in displacement status, and must next place himself on a permanent assignment.  Yardmen may only use one "One-Day-Stand" per displacement.

Q.        Can a yardman be out bid before he works a "One-Day-Stand” assignment that he bid on?

A.        Yes, "One-Day-Stand” assignments are awarded by seniority order up to call time.

Q.        What happens if a yardman is out bid before he works a "One-Day-Stand”assignment that he bid on?

A.        He will be placed back on the bump board.  He retains full displacement rights.

Q.        What is a temporary vacancy?

A.        A temporary vacancy is a job assignment that is vacant due to the regular man laying off for the day (LS, LP, OS, Single Days Vacation, etc.).  It is also caused when a regular established job that works five or more days in the week has no relief assigned to it on a particular day.  These assignments are normally protected by the extra board.